Mildred Marie Henan

Sunrise: September 30, 1948 - Sunset: June 26, 2025.  

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of our mom, Marie Henan, on June 26th, 2025. Marie was mom to three daughters, Gram to six grandchildren, four beautiful great-grandchildren, was a loving sister, daughter, aunt, cousin, and cherished friend whose warmth, laughter, and strength brought joy to everyone around her. 

Marie was an Eastern Shoshone Tribal member, born at Fort Washakie, Wyoming to Dorothy Aragon and Jacob “Joe” Henan, Jr., and she spent many of her early elementary school years with family and friends, including growing up with her grandmother Gladys Henan, her many cousins, Aunts, Uncles, and friends. After moving to Pine Bluffs, WY with her family, Marie made life-long friends, she participated in the pep club in high school, played the clarinet in the marching band, and graduated from Pine Bluffs High School in 1966. 

Marie began her higher education in Denver, CO at Metro State University and met many friends and worked with many Denver city officials on issues related to civil rights and American Indian affairs. She moved with her family back home to the Wind River Reservation, where she worked for the Eastern Shoshone Tribe in the Planning and Grants department, including leading an effort to encourage economic development projects and cultural and language projects like Shoshone language street-sign re-naming. She served as an inaugural Native Board advisor to the Plains Indian Museum Buffalo Bill Cultural Center in Cody, WY. She also modeled for renowned western artist Harry Jackson’s Sacajawea sculpture where you can see her likeness still today both in Cody and Riverton, WY. 

In 1983, Marie and her family moved to Laramie, WY where she continued her education and pursued a career in teaching. Marie graduated from the University of Wyoming in 1985 with her bachelor's degree in Elementary Education. After graduating, she moved and began teaching in Colorado and then to New Mexico where she began her full-time teaching career at Cochiti Elementary School, and where she continued to teach in the Bernalillo School District for 15 years as an elementary teacher. During this time, Marie would earn her master's degree in arts and Elementary Education in 1997 from the University of New Mexico, focusing on bringing Native American representation in education and arts to all of her students. 

After returning to Colorado in 2003, Marie would work with the Denver Public Schools as a math coach and arts teacher until 2006 when she suffered a severe health event but from which she would recover beyond medical expectations. Marie continued to live and bring joy to her family and friends, returning to Wyoming, and then ultimately to Albuquerque, NM until her passing. 

While known for her kind heart, quick wit, and her affinity for ‘corn jokes’, she was also an artist, creating beautiful beadwork and working in photography. She would participate and win recognition in art shows like the Eight Northern Pueblo Indian Art festival and the Santa Fe Indian Market. She also had a deep love for her grandchildren and grand-dogs, her peanut butter cup chocolate medicine, and her daily mocha — simple joys that brought a smile to her face. Despite the many challenges she faced and overcame throughout her life, she lived with resilience, and was a dedicated and inspiring mother, grandmother, and educator. Marie’s legacy lives on in the hearts of her family, her friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Marie is preceded in death by her dad Joe Henan, her grandmother Gladys Henan and her grandpa Jacob Henan, Sr., her aunts and uncles Mary Henan, Viola ‘Skipper’ Smith, Ben Henan, Elaine Engavo, Florence Chingman, Thelma Thayer, Ruth Klassey, great-uncle Finn Snyder, great-aunts Dolly Rowan, Birdie, and Ruth, cousins Thelma Engavo, Phyllis Trosper, Chingman brothers John, Ben, Ernie, and Chuck, Sam Snyder, Bob Rowan, brothers Chuck Aragon, and Glenn Aragon, Sr., and her sister Julie Tavegia.           

Marie is survived by her children, Corryn Powell, Kimberly Varilek, and Elana Varilek, her grandchildren Whitney, Dominique, Austin, Aubrey, Angellica, and Deja, her great-grandchildren Landon, Nevaeh, Liliana, baby girl Valdez, her mother, Dorothy, her sisters Yvonne Crane, Wanda Miller, Monica Aragon, Vonnie Tso, brothers Greg Henan, Ed Henan, Joseph Henan, her aunt Peggy Meyers, her cousin Carmen Henan and many loving cousins, nieces, nephews, and god-children. 

Though we mourn her loss, we celebrate a life so beautifully lived and a love so deeply shared. Her funeral service will be held at Fort Washakie, Wyoming at the Robert’s Episcopal Church on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at 3:00pm with a traditional feast to follow at the Robert’s Mission. All are welcome to attend and honor her memory. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider making a donation to your local PBS as Marie loved and supported free public programming, including First Nations Experience (FNX). Alternatively, please consider supporting local teachers in donating classroom supplies or other teacher items for school classrooms to support public education.