Mary Anne Hanley

Mary Anne Nicklaus Hanley, 91, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on August 16, 2026 surrounded by her loving family.

Born in Lancaster in 1935, Mary Anne was the daughter of Gregory Nicklaus and Dorothy Conlin Nicklaus. She graduated from Lancaster Catholic High School in 1953.

Mary Anne met the love of her life, John "Jack" Hanley, when they were students at Lancaster Catholic. She was 15, he was 16, and the high school sweethearts went on to share a lifetime together. They were married on June 11, 1955, at Saint Anne's Catholic Church in Lancaster.

Their early married years were shaped by hard work, partnership, and devotion to one another. Mary Anne supported Jack as he attended Franklin & Marshall College and later Temple University School of Dentistry. During those years, she worked at Gerard Trust, where she excelled and was on the path toward a promotion. When Jack joined the United States Navy, they moved to Portsmouth, Virginia, where he was stationed.

Mary Anne and Jack later returned to Lancaster, where they raised their four children. In 1968, they built their family home-a home that became the center of family life and remained Mary Anne's home for the rest of her life. She died there peacefully, napping in her chair, in the home she and Jack had created together so many years before.

Mary Anne's Catholic faith and her family were the center of her life. She loved going to Mass, prayed the Rosary every day, and dedicated each morning to the daily readings. She had a remarkable gift for making each person feel known and cherished. She remembered everyone's favorite treats and preferences and always had something special waiting whenever a family member came to visit. Her home was happiest when filled with loved ones, especially during the family Thanksgivings and Christmases she treasured. Mary Anne would do anything for her family and loved them with a generosity that seemed limitless. Everyone who met her spoke of her kindness and wonderful spirit; to those who knew her best, she simply had the biggest heart of anyone they had ever known.

Mary Anne's greatest legacy is the family she and Jack built together. She is survived by their children, Lynn Palmer (Mark) of Irwin, PA; Leslie Staskel (Tom) of Lancaster, PA; Mary Anne Weber (Tom) of Millersville, PA; and Matthew Hanley of Lancaster, PA.

She is also survived by eight grandchildren: Alexandra Palmer and Andrea Frescura; Ryan Staskel, Kelly Staskel, and Kevin Staskel; and Hope Weaber, Michael Weber, Carolyn Bachman.

She was the beloved great-grandmother of Emma and Katie Frescura, Nora Staskel-Young, Julia and Jack Staskel, and Kaydence and Charlotte Weaber.

Mary Anne is also survived by her brother, Paul Nicklaus and his wife, Phyllis, and her sister, Sue Krushinsky and her husband, Harry, and her brother-in-law Daniel Fritsch.

She was preceded in death by Jack, her devoted husband of 59 years, who passed away in September 2014; her parents, Gregory and Dorothy Nicklaus; and her sisters, Eleanor Cassidy, Jean Thode, and Dorothy Fritsch.

Mary Anne's 91 years were filled with love, loyalty, family, and a remarkable, shared life that began when she and Jack were teenagers and grew into a close-knit family spanning four generations. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by the generations of family who knew her as Mom, Grandma, Grammy, and GG.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, August 20, 2026, beginning at 6 p.m. at Charles F. Snyder Funeral Home at 441 North George Street, Millersville, PA, 17551. The Rosary will be prayed at 7:45 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, August 21, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, 2427 Marietta Avenue, Lancaster, PA 17601 . Burial will follow at St. Joseph New Catholic Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in her memory to St. Leo the Great Catholic Church.