NASSAU, Bahamas  --  An official funeral service will be held on Friday, November 13 at 11am at Christ Church Cathedral for Her Excellency Mrs Beryl Hanna, wife of the Governor-General, His Excellency Arthur D. Hanna. In light of this, all National flags are to be flown at half-mast for two consecutive days inclusive of the day of the funeral.

The public is advised that the body Mrs Hanna will lie in state on Wednesday and Thursday at Government House.  The general public may pay their last respects to Her Excellency Mrs Beryl Hanna at Government House beginning 11am Thursday, November 12, 2009.  There will be no viewing on Friday, November 13.

Mrs. Hanna died on Thursday, November 4 at the Princess Margaret Hospital after a long illness.  She was 77 years. 

Nee Church, Mrs Hanna was born on October 12, l932 in Bristol, England to Reginald and Emma Church.

In 1948, she became a member of the Young Conservative Movement and while attending a mock parliament, she met Arthur Dion Hanna, who was a law student at Bristol University. The couple married in 1950 and five years later, Beryl joined her husband in The Bahamas. They had five children - Arthur Dion, Jr, Mark, Glenys, Dawn and Sean (deceased).

After several stints in the corporate world, Mrs Hanna managed her husband’s law firm and immersed herself in the struggle for universal suffrage.

She organized her husband’s political campaigns and was a leading figure in the Progressive Liberal Party’s Women Branch.

As a principal in many civil actions, Mrs Hanna rallied Bahamians to the democratic cause, leading to Majority Rule in the country. 

Mrs. Hanna has headed several organizations including The Bahamas Red Cross Society and the Crippled Children’s Committee.

She chaired the International Year of the Child in 1979.  She was also the chairperson of The Bahamas Committee in South Africa and instrumental in educating Bahamians on the issue of apartheid in South Africa.

She lobbied the Bahamian Government to strengthen its efforts to end the then apartheid South African regime.

Photo 1: Her Excellency Mrs Beryl Hanna, wife of the Governor-General (Peter Ramsay photo)

Photo 2: Hon. Tommy Turnquest Minister of National Security with greetings to His Excellency Governor General Arthur Hanna and family Wednesday at Goverment House during the Viewing of his wife Her Excellency Beryl Hanna. (BIS Photo Patrick Hanna)

Photo 3: Hon Brent Symonette Deputy Prime & Minister of Foreign Affairs viewing the body of Her Excellency Beryl Hanna, Wednesday November 11th at Government House. (BIS Photo Patrick Hanna)

Photo 4: The Hon Perry G Christie, Leader of the Opposition, pays his respects on the passing of Her Excellency Mrs Beryl Hanna, wife of the Governor-General, His Excellency Arthur D Hanna at Government House, November 11. (BIS photos/Patrick Hanna)