Anita Josephine Bouchon Tank

Anita Josephine Bouchon Tank was born on February 16, 1942, in New Orleans, Louisiana. She left this earth to be with our Lord on February 09, 2026 after a brief illness, just before her 84th birthday. She was preceded in death by her father, Arthur Bouchon Sr.; her mother, Elaine Goodspeed Bouchon; her beloved husband, Wilben (Wibby) Tank; her brother, Arthur Bouchon Jr. (Faye); and her faithful black Lab, Roberta, who was always at her side through all the moves detailed below, including on the roof after Katrina.

Anita lived in New Orleans before relocating to Arabi with her husband in the late 1990s. She survived Hurricane Katrina, where she was found days later on the roof of her home and, like many others, had an arduous and eventful evacuation, to say the least. She spent many months post-Katrina with her dear cousin, Pat Crain and family in San Antonio, TX. She then moved in with her former sister-in-law, Frannie Borrello, in Metairie, LA for several more months. In 2008, she moved into her forever home in Slidell with Mark and Dede Ricard, where she lived in her attached and completely self-sufficient “Godmother-in-law” apartment.

It was with Pat that Anita really embraced her Catholic faith and attended Mass regularly, especially with Pat’s son Nick. While with Frannie, her strong faith continued to grow. When she moved to Slidell, she began going to Mass every day and even did a weekly one-hour shift in the Adoration Chapel. As her health began to decline over the last several years, she had to give up the daily Masses and the chapel shift, but she never missed Sunday Mass with Mark at St Luke’s in Slidell. It was there she met many lifelong friends.

Especially in her later years when her mobility diminished, Mark became her go-to person for everything—from dinner dates to changing cable channels and learning how to stream television.

Anita was employed as a hotel desk clerk at several New Orleans hotels throughout her career and formed a lifelong friendship with Lenore Agnelly. She had a passion for dancing and was an instructor with the local Arthur Murray Dance Studio. She was also a huge music lover, inspired in part by her musician husband “Wibby” who played trumpet and other horns, and sang a bit too. Music was always part of her life—whether it was the rhythm that carried her across the dance floor or the familiar sounds of her favorite songs playing on her Alexa at home. She especially loved listening to Barbra Streisand, Andrea Bocelli, David Foster and Michael Bublé, whose voices brought her great joy.

True to her New Orleans roots, Anita had a deep love of food and knew that a good meal was meant to be savored and shared. She appreciated classic local dishes, lively dinner dates, and the simple joy of sitting down to eat with people she loved, though she would quickly escape after the meal to her own place to enjoy the peace and quiet. A die-hard Saints fan, Anita watched the Saints in the historic Superbowl game of 2010 from her recorded DVR often. Anita adored Drew Brees and never missed a chance to cheer on her team.

Anita loved to tell stories of her younger days “ripping and running” and was truly one of a kind. She could say more with a single look—or her signature grunt, “huh?”—than most could with a paragraph. From her school days at St. Mary of the Pines in Chatawa, MS, Anita developed a love of everything Latin. She loved to speak Spanish to anyone who spoke the language from cleaning ladies to shop workers to doctors.

Though Anita was not especially a fan of children, she once admitted, “If anyone ever told me I would love a child, I’d tell them they were crazy—but I do so love Layla.” Layla is the daughter of Ellen Ricard Manno. Ellen and Layla lived with Mark, Dede, and Anita for Layla’s first five years, and Layla could often be found curled up on Anita’s lap in her favorite reclining chair.

Anita is survived by her sister, Margaret “Margie” Bourgeois Fiegenschue Guerra (Marty); her grand-nephew, Tommy Patton; and many cousins and extended family members. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the friends and relatives who visited Anita during her illness, and especially to the compassionate caregivers at Hospice House of Slidell.

There will be a funeral mass at St Luke the Evangelist Catholic Church 910 Cross Gates Blvd, Slidell, LA 70461 on Saturday February 21 at 1pm. Visitation will start at 11:30 am.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Hospice House of Slidell would be appreciated.

https://thehospicehouse.org/donate%2Fvolunteer