Obituary of Bernadette Harlan

Bernadette Harlan, 77, of Olean, New York, passed away peacefully at home early Sunday morning after a short but courageous battle with cancer. She faced her illness with grace and resilience, surrounded by the love of her friends and family. Born in Buffalo, New York, on November 10, 1947, Bernadette was the daughter of the late Dominic Fanucci and Vincenza (Greco) Fanucci. She was a graduate of Bishop Gibbons High School (Class of 1965) and earned her Bachelor of Science in Education (Art) from the State University College at Buffalo. On April 14, 1990, she married Robert M. Harlan in Chaffee, New York. They shared 25 wonderful years together until his passing in 2015. Bernadette dedicated her career to serving others, most notably as Executive Director of Delta Development, where she led the development and management of affordable housing across Western New York. She previously held a similar role with the Seneca Nation Housing Authority, overseeing rental and homeownership programs for Native American communities. Bernadette was a woman of many passions. She enjoyed golf, gardening, jigsaw puzzles, word games, reading, cards, and cheering on the Buffalo Bills. She was known for her delicious cucidatis and cutout cookies, and loved singing along to music and spending time with family and friends. She was an active member of Birch Run Golf Club, a former member of Bartlett Country Club, and served on the boards of Precious Jewels Day Care Center and St. Joseph Neighborhood Housing Initiative. She is survived by her daughters Kristin (Brian) Sanovic, Lee (Brian) Schlatterer and Amy Fustino (Paul LaPlante) of Bremerton, WA. She was a devoted grandmother to John Paul, Elliott and Julianna, and "grandma" to several beloved pets. She is also survived by several nieces and nephews. Bernadette was predeceased by her husband, Robert M. Harlan; her daughter, Lynn Marie; and her sister, Anne Griggs. Her warmth, compassion, and unwavering devotion to her family and community will be dearly missed by all who knew her. The family welcomes friends to a visitation on Friday from 4-7pm at the Casey, Halwig & Hartle Funeral Home, 3128 W. State Rd., Olean. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday (October 4, 2025) at 10am at the St. Bonaventure University Chapel. Burial will follow in St. Bonaventure Cemetery, Allegany. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Cattaraugus County SPCA, 1644 Olean-Hinsdale Rd., Olean, NY 14760. PLease use the following link to make a donation to SPCA: https://spcacattco.org/ (Please do not refer to the donation link attached to the website platform)