The memorial for my sister Phyllis was held on Saturday January 19th at 6:30 pm at the Anacortes Public Library. Lita and I drove from Gig Harbor to Anacortes to attend 5:00 pm Mass at St Mary's parish for Phyllis. I had also arranged for a previous Mass to be said as well. I don't know what reaction Phyllis would have had if she knew my plans for having Mass said for her, but it was something I needed to do for…
On Friday I was scheduled to have lunch with Mount Vernon attorney friends at the Chucknut Manor in Bow. It's a long drive so I wanted to start out early to be on time. However, I managed to run against a curb while at the ATM in Gig Harbor before I got on the freeway. I had a flat tire. I drove across he street to the Chevron service station at 7102 Stinson Avenue (Maritime Mart) in Gig Harbor where I buy all my gasoline,…
My sister Phyllis died at her daughter Mary Davis's house in Bellingham on January 7, 2013. She was a retired school teacher, but was a great deal more than that suggests. I have previously written about Phyllis and my sister Anita and how extraordinary they both were. https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2008/07/phyllis-ennes-2008-anacortes-patron-of-the-arts.html She was born in Anacortes January 29, 1928 where she graduated from high school with honors. She attended the University of Washington,Western Washington University and Montana State University where she obtained a…
I have often expressed my objection and concern about the involvement of religion in our political American system. I have been vocal about my objection to the American bishops attempt to dictate political outcomes in America by religious influence and intimidation. I have suggested that those bishops and other Christian religions who fail to observe separation of church and state should have their tax exemption removed. See for example, https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2012/10/more-un-christ-like-bishops.html.html Columnist Leonard Pitts has expressed his viewpoint on this general subject…
Why do we celebrate the new year on January 1st? In fact New Year's Day is the closest thing to being the world's only true global public holiday. It's because of the Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome which set January 1st as a first day of the new year. The Romans celebrated New Year's Day in honor of Janus. Janus is the God who had two faces, one looking forward and the other looking…
I've written about Dorothy Day here in the past. See: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2011/11/dorothy-day-a-modern-undeclared-saint.html She has recently been in the religious news because the U.S. Bishops, at their semiannual meeting in Baltimore,voted unanimously to support the cause of sainthood for Dorothy. Dorothy was born in Brooklyn in 1897, where she was baptized in the Episcopal church. She attended college in Illinois but left to return to New York where she got involved in women's suffrage, issues of war and the labor movement. She…
I'm writing this about my late mother in law, Elizabeth (Betty) Catherine Devitt, who was born December 5, 1910 in Butte,Montana and died December 20, 1995 in Puyallup. Her children included my wife, Lita, Devitt (deceased) Hollis, Barbara and Monica. She was a very remarkable woman in so many respects. She was also someone for whom I had a great deal of admiration, respect and love. Betty's parents were Merritt John Devitt and Elizabeth McCarthy Devitt. She was baptized at…
My grandmother on dad's side of the family, Phyllis Filippa Luvera died in Anacortes, Washington on December 20, 1946. By coincidence, that is also the day my wife's mother died. Nonna Luvera was born in Italy May 26, 1870 and spoke little English. Since dad believed the children should speak English we never learned Italian and could only communicated with her through dad. She was typical Italian grandmother, an excellent cook and who was always feeding us something. She had…
Nick Petrish died in Anacortes on December 19, 2011. Nick and I were friends since our days as grade school students at the Whitney Grade school in Anacortes over 70 years ago. We also went through Junior High and High School together. His father "Big" Nick operated a salmon fishing boat the Traveler in the summer and Nick fished with his dad in Alaska while I fished there on other seine boats. At Anacortes, we played on the same football and…
Bloodletting was commonly practiced in the United States during the time of George Washington. It played a major role in the death of the father of our country who died at his home on December 14, 1799. The 67 year old Washington had developed a fever and laryngitis in the middle of the night. In the morning, his doctor, Doctor James Craik was summoned and Dr. George Rawlins arrived to care for him until Craik could get there. Dr. Rawlins…
