Anna Tuchak

Anna Antonishak Tarczanin Tuchak, born in Yasen, Ukraine on January 15, 1922, died peacefully on June 16, 2011 in Jackson County.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, John Tarczanin and her second husband, Dr. William Tuchak of Hattiesburg; her parents, Frank and Maria Antonishak; two sisters, Katherine and Olanna of their native Ukraine; two brothers, Michael and John Antonishak of their native Ukraine; and a son in law, John K. Hart of Houston, TX.
She is survived by a daughter and her family, Maria Tarczanin Bishop and her husband, Defoy, of Haleyville, AL, granddaughter, Kay Bishop, great grandsons Brandon Hyde and Devin Hyde of Tuscaloosa, AL, granddaughter, Sherry Bishop and great grandson, Jon Jennings of Double Springs, AL, granddaughter, Shay Clecker and her husband, Travis, and great grandson, Nicholai Clecker, all of Calera, AL; a daughter and her family, Katherine Tarczanin Blessey and her husband, Walter, IV, of Biloxi, granddaughter Michelle Hart Walker and her husband, Robert, great grandsons Chip and Jack Walker, and great granddaughter, Gabrielle Walker, all of Bremen, GA, grandson John Hart and his wife, Gillian, great grandsons Gage and Morris Hart, and great granddaughter Olivia Hart, all of Fairhope, AL, granddaughter, Kimberly Hart Bissell and her husband Nathan, great granddaughter Kasha, and great grandson Charlie, all of Honolulu, Hawaii; a daughter and her family, Anna Tarczanin of Ocean Springs, grandson Daniel Martin and his wife, Susan and great grandson Sullivan of Oxford, MS, grandson Zach Martin of Baton Rouge, LA, grandson Jonathan Martin of Oxford, MS, and former son in law Ernie Martin of Birmingham, AL; and three sisters, Foeduna, Olusa and Katherine, all of their native village of Drohobych, Ukraine.
The Tarczanin family left Germany on May 1, 1949 and arrived at the New Orleans port on May 14, 1949 and their first new home in America was the Big Level community near Wiggins. Sponsored by the late Mr. and Mrs. Curtis Scott and their late children John and Audry of New Orleans, Anna became an American citizen and received her certificate in cafeteria management from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1962.
A devout Catholic, Anna was able to survive the hardships and cruelties of war because of her belief in God and in the compassion of the human spirit. She received the Lumen Christi award on October 10, 2004 and in 2010, the Apostolic Blessing. Anna enjoyed her Ukrainian music, dancing, and concert music at the University of Southern Mississippi. Her hobbies were baking fresh bread, needle pointing, creating her native Ukraine pattern for family and friends, and gardening.
During her life's journey, she had two Mantra's, one in Ukraine, Poland and in Germany: ""GOD HELP-SOMETHING BETTER"", and on American soil, always: ""GOD BLESS AMERICA"".
The family would like to thank Margaret Kellum of Settler's Point, and caretakers Vivian Warren, Patricia Jackson, Vickie Broussard, Youlanda Whittle, and Betty McMillan.
Memorial donations may be made to Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra, 11975 Seaway Rd, Suite A, Gulfport, MS 39503.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, June 25, 2011 at 1:00 PM at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Biloxi with a visitation from Noon until 1:00 PM. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery, Wiggins.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Rd, Biloxi, is in charge of arrangements.