Carol Ann Ryan Luvera, the mother of our eight children, died last Friday evening September 16, 2022 in Mount Vernon, Washington at the care facility where she was a patient. The children had been keeping vigil after the doctor said she had only a day or so to live. She was in a coma. The children Michael, Elizabeth, Dan and Theresa were there when she died. Theresa was in the room at the time holding her mother’s hand. She reported…
At age 87 years, my memory of childhood is far from perfect, but some things stand out. I was reflecting on how blessed our family was for living along the shoreline of Guemes Channel and a childhood before summers were totally occupied by children’s commitments of their summer vacation time. These are a few memories I was reflecting upon that I’ll share. There is nothing profound here. Just pleasant thoughts that were significant to me. Anacortes Fish Canneries I was…
Donald Trump has had frightening success in his continuing campaign to make hypocrisy accepted and normal. What is hypocrisy? It comes from the Greek “hypocrisies” which means “acting on a stage” or “to play a part.” A hypocrite is a person who says one thing and does or believes another. Hypocrisy is just plain lying and being dishonest. The evil of being a hypocrite is that it can make hypocrisy look normal and acceptable. By normalizing hypocrisy, it makes it…
On August 8, 1953 my maternal grandmother, Marija Babarovich died in Anacortes, Washington at age 90. It was the year of my high school graduation at Anacortes. She was born September 21, 1863 in Splitska, Brac, Croatia. She was a woman of great courage, faith and personal sacrifice. Her husband, my grandfather, Peter, had died the year I was born in 1935 at Anacortes. He was born in 1861. I remember her vividly. A tall, erect woman with hair piled…
In an Email to the children, I described the two dance halls in the county that were popular when I was in high school. I thought later about the street dances in Anacortes. When I was working on the purse seine boats during high school, Anacortes had fishermen “pavement dances” on the weekends during the fishing season. The dances were on Commercial Avenue. They were popular and crowded with people. The fisherman returned from fishing on the weekend and the…
On an early Friday morning, July 7th 2000, my mother Mary Thelma Babarovich, died in her sleep at the San Juan Care Center. Her death was not unexpected. After all, she was born on December 28, 1905 and was ninety four years old when she died. She had been in failing health for some time. Her passing was, in fact, a personal blessing to her as she had been ready to meet her maker for some time. She and dad…
My paternal grandfather, Nicola Luvera, was born in Valanidi, Calabria Italy November 23, 1860 and died in Anacortes, Washington on July 4, 1956. His father, Paolo Nicola and mother Rosa Luvera were sheepherders and sharecroppers in Gallina Italy. Grandfather worked with his father until he was 16 years old when he moved to Reggio Calabria where a cousin Antonio working in a slaughterhouse. He was able to get a job with his cousin and lived with their family for four…
This is in remembrance of my friend of many years, Daniel Sullivan, who died of lung cancer the morning of July 1, 2012 in Seattle. He was 86 years old. Dan was a plaintiff’s trial lawyer who accomplished so much in his life. He was the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association president in 1974-75, WSTLA Trial Lawyer of the Year winner in 1984 and recipient of the then-WSTLA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004. Dan was responsible for the formation of…
From time to time we hear or read advice that resonates with us. Words of wisdom that inspire or offer guidance on the reality of life. David Brooks, a columnist for the New York Times, published recently a column he entitled “The World’s Greatest Life Acts, For Now. ” He quotes from journalist Kevin Kelly writing in his Technium blog the following wise observations: When you have 90% of a large project completed, finishing up the final details will take…
Catholic Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco announced that U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will no longer be allowed to receive Communion because of her political support for abortion rights. Cordileone said in his public announcement on Friday: “I am hereby notifying you that you are not to present yourself for Holy Communion and, should you do so, you are not to be admitted to Holy Communion, until such time as you [publicly] repudiate your advocacy for the legitimacy of…
