Anna Belle Bowman Blanchard was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Port Arthur, Texas to Robert Carl and Brentice Lou Essie Coon Bowman on October 10, 1941. Her twin sister died shortly after their births, and Anna felt the loss of her twin throughout her life. Ultrasound research shows that twins play in utero, and perhaps they had played during that period of their lives.
She attended Franklin Elementary School and Woodrow Wilson Junior High School in Port Arthur and was graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1960. She also attended Lamar University.
Anna had many wonderful characteristics. She had an amazing sense of humor, always finding something to laugh about-even about her illnesses. She was fiercely loyal to family, friends, and country. She had a rarely used talent that almost no one knew about, she could sketch portraits of people. She enjoyed being with children and was good to them. Recently while at Cracker Barrel a toddler was having a difficult time. Nothing the parents did helped her behavior. As soon as Anna began to interact with the child the toddler calmed down and began to play with Anna. She was a good Fisherman. When the family went fishing she would catch fish when no one else did. She enjoyed gardening, cooking and playing with Lizzie her cat. She loved birds, and especially her pet cockatiel, Pretty Girl, whom she taught to talk.
Married to James August Blanchard, she was his devoted wife for 34 years. They had one son, James “Jimmy” August Blanchard, Jr. whom she adored and of whom she is as immensely proud.
Of course, life for Anna was more fun and joyful because of her lifelong friendship with Shari Ann LaLonde, which endured many decades.
Anna especially loved God, her family, and her country. Fiercely patriotic, she was angry when others did not support our National Anthem, our Flag, and the “men and women in blue.”
Anna was preceded in death by many she loved. As she recently said,” When I get to Heaven there will be a lot of people I love to greet me.” In addition to her husband, James, her beloved mother, Essie, and much loved Step Father, Simon Luna have preceded her. She is also preceded in death by five of her sisters in addition to her twin, Carlene Bowman Hahn Coe, Jean Marie Bowman Joe Przybylowski, Georgia Ethel Bowman Nacol, Elizabeth Bowman Newton, and Sylvia Joyce Bowman Dutschman.
She is survived by her one son, Jimmy, by her step daughter Katherine Blanchard Jones, her step granddaughter April Nunez, both of Kingwood, Texas, and her sister Dr. O Jayne Bowman of Houston. She genuinely loved her nieces and nephews and is survived by Paul Marcus Nacol of Houston, Dottie and John Cotham of Frienswood, Kim, Scott, and Brian Newton, Dana, Eric, and Craig Dutschmann.
Anna felt blessed to be allowed time to reflect on life and spend some few minutes with family and friends. While she was not one to give unsolicited advice, a Bible verses she lived by were: Matthew -5:8 - Blessed are the pure in heart. They shall see God.