When I was growing up in the small town of Anacortes, my dad, Paul Luvera, Sr., was a prominent figure in town as well as the West side of the State of Washington. He operated our neighborhood grocery store at the same location, 7^th and Commercial, for many years. He had been active in every community club or town activity for years. He had even served one term in the State Senate. He was very well known and was prominent in many community and state organizations. His community involvement and many contributions to state and community affairs was recognized by a section of state highway coming into to Anacortes being named for him after his death on November 4, 1990. During my childhood there was no way I could get away with anything in town because someone would tell my dad. All through school and even into college years, everywhere I went people would hear my name and would tell me "say hello to your dad."It occurred often enough I decided someday I should write a book entitled Say Hello to Your Dad. In his retirement he began to carve totem poles some of which were sent to places around the world when people who bought them. He was on national and state television for his totem pole carving activities and because of a book he wrote about how to carve totem poles that sold across the county. (Which is still available for purchase after all these years. Contact Phyllis Ennes -ennespl@comcast.net) Even after I became a lawyer and moved away people who heard my name would tell me they knew dad or had seen him on television or bought his book and would ask me to "say hello." Then, last week, I received the following E-mail, written by someone who thought I was dad. I thought to myself, "here I am, seventy two years old. Dad has been dead seventeen years and I have received a communication from Germany which involves dad."

Dear Mr. Luvera

I am from Munich, Germany. The parents of my wife have the 4m remnants of a tree in their backyard that was supposed to be cut down finally. Somehow the idea sprung up to do something with it instead as the tree somehow was always there. So I suggested to create a totem pole. That started an Internet search and so I found and ordered my copy of this amazing book your father wrote about on how to carve a totem pole.

I just wanted to let you know that I love the book – the way it guides you through the work and the personal style it is written. Such books are hard to find nowadays.

I don’t know if I will be able to master the work on "my" totem pole but I found this wonderful book about 2 wonderful people that inspired me at least getting started carving one.

Sincerely  Thomas Rau

Imagine that. After all these years I’m still being asked to "say hello to your dad." So, maybe I should write that book after all. It’s very clear that his life has cast a long shadow and one will always touch me. So, it’s clear I won’t escape that fact and besides, it’s an honor for me to be associated to this extraordinary and most unique man.