Loretta Crane

Loretta Seneca Crane, 85, of Salamanca, NY, died Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the Bradford Ecumenical Home.

She was an enrolled member of the Seneca Nation of Indians (Beaver Clan).

Born January 16, 1940, in Gowanda, NY, Loretta was the daughter of the late Martin and Norma (née Parker) Seneca. She was married May 28, 1966, in Salt Lake City, UT, to James O. Crane who predeceased her in 2018.

After graduating from Gowanda High School in 1957, Loretta attended Brigham Young University where she received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the University of Utah where she received a Master of Science in Nursing, and Mississippi College School of Law where she received her Juris Doctor degree.

She taught Nursing at Brigham Young University and worked as a nurse at hospitals in Utah and at Tri-County Hospital in Gowanda, NY. She later worked as a compliance administrator in the nursing home industry, combining her nursing and legal expertise. Loretta was employed as General Legal Counsel with the Seneca Nation Legal Department in the late 1980s during the Robert Hoag and Dennis Lay administrations. She served as the chief negotiator for the Nation during the Salamanca lease negotiations (Chair of the Salamanca Lease Committee) and played a significant role in the passage of the historic Seneca Nation Settlement Act of 1990.

Loretta was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She was a tremendously devoted and much-loved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother.

Surviving are a daughter, Maria Asay (David), Oxford, MI; five sons, Sean Crane, Salamanca, NY, Seth Crane, Grand Island, NY, Aaron Crane (Jill), Salamanca, NY, Jason Crane (Trish), Irving, NY, Jimmy Crane (Angela), Salamanca, NY; ten grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and siblings Martin Seneca, Jr., Irving, NY, and Carolyn Steele, Orem, UT.

Friends may call at the O’Rourke & O’Rourke Funeral Home, 25 River Street, Salamanca, NY, on Thursday, October 2, 2025 from 3 – 7 p.m.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 3rd at 11 a.m. at the Irving branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Route 438, with Elder Justin Nephew officiating.

Burial will be at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Irving, NY.

E-condolences can be sent to orourke.orourkefh@gmail.com or posted to facebook.com/onofh.