Lorelei Delia Herne, 86, of Buena Park, passed away peacefully on Saturday, May 23, 2026, at Kaiser Permanente Anaheim Medical Center.

Lorelei was born on July 25, 1939, in Bombay, the daughter of Walter A. Herne and Louise Cook Herne. She attended schools in Bombay and graduated in 1955 at the age of 16. According to her siblings, Lorelei was well-liked and active in school, especially as a cheerleader. She was also a gifted writer, earning first-place recognition for a poem she wrote during high school.

Proud of her Mohawk heritage, Lorelei often translated letters from English into Mohawk for community members who did not speak English. After leaving Akwesasne, she moved to Rochester, where she began working for the telephone company before eventually settling in California.

Lorelei married Donald A. Maley of Logan, Kansas, while living in Northern California. They relocated to Southern California, where they raised two sons, Shannon Edward Maley and Lance Alworth Maley. In addition to caring for her family, Lorelei worked throughout the years as a keypunch operator at Command Computer, at Western Wheel, at Western Exterminator, and later as an office clerk for a physical therapy office in Fullerton.

Lorelei loved Elvis Presley, watching General Hospital, and following horse racing. She was an avid reader and, in recent years, had also developed a love for birdwatching. She followed cycling, especially the Tour de France and even Nascar due to the influence of her grandson Marcus. She was faithful to not miss Sunday service at Calvary La Habra, by attending in person or watching online using her tablet.

Lorelei will be deeply missed by her sons, Shannon and his wife, Lorena Maley of Hacienda Heights, and Lance Maley of Buena Park, California. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Maya Francis Wood of Upland and Marcus Maley of Hacienda Heights, California; and by her great-grandchildren, Bethany Eden Wood and twins James Whittaker Wood and Abigail Lauren Wood.

She is further survived by her sisters, Elaine T. Smith of Syracuse; Delilah D. “Dee” Brown of Oak Island; Rowena Mitchell and her husband Warren of Conway; and Leesa Latulipe and her husband Patrick of Sodus. She is also survived by her brothers, John Herne and his wife Adeline “Binky,” Eric W. Herne, Gregory Herne, and Leland Herne, all of Akwesasne, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews.

Lorelei was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Glenda Benedict; and her brother-in-law, Walter Benedict.

Lorelei will be remembered for her strength, dedication to her family, pride in her heritage, and the kindness she showed to those around her.