Anita Tarver

Anita Maé Miller Tarver, 94, of Lake Charles passed away Friday, May 26, 2017 in a local hospital following a brief illness.

Mrs. Tarver was born in Acadia Parish, raised in Jennings, LA and was a graduate of Jennings High School. Having followed her husband’s Navy career she lived many places, including, Bahamas, Altura Philippines, Guam, Chicago, San Francisco and Pearl Harbor. She enjoyed cooking a variety of dishes, some of which she learned around the world, all served in a formal table setting. She was a talented seamstress, sewing most anything for family; clothing, costumes and formals. Her greatest times were shared traveling with her husband throughout the United States during the course of his second career and retirement. Mrs. Tarver was a founding and faithful member of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, Ladies Auxiliary and Catholic Daughters. She was a member of Our Lady Queen of Heaven church choir and flash choir; as well as a volunteer at Crosswords Bookstore for about forty years. She will be most remembered for her love and devotion to her husband and as a lady of strength and independence.

She leaves to cherish her memory, five children, James E. “Jim” Tarver, Jr. and wife Judy of Lake Charles, Peter S. Tarver and wife Tammy of Sheridan, WY, John R. “Rick” Tarver and wife Loretta of Lake Charles, Pamela T. Lindsey and husband John of St. Martinville and Penelope “Penny” Tarver Love and husband Mark of Savannah, GA; fifteen grandchildren; thirty-three great grandchildren; six great-great grandchildren with two on the way; six sisters, Myrle Landry, Verne DiCristina, Joyce Davis, Barbara Reich, Irma Jones and Bernetta Summers.

She was preceded in death by her husband of forty-two years, James E. Tarver, Sr.; two grandchildren, Christina Suarez and Paul Anthony Tarver; parents, Ben Miller and Anna Clement Miller one brother, Ben Miller and two sisters, Cumalee Domingue and Rena Truxillo.

A Mass of Christian burial will be at 1:00 PM Tuesday, May 30, 2017 at Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Monsignor James Gaddy will officiate. Interment will follow in Consolata Cemetery. Visitation Monday will be from 4:00 PM until 9:00 PM with a scripture service and rosary beginning at 6:00 PM. Visitation Tuesday will be from 10:00 AM until 12:30 PM in the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady Queen of Heaven Catholic Church, 3939 Lake Street, Lake Charles, LA 70605 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org.