In November of 2002 the New York Times published a story about two women in rural Alabama who were killed in a head on collision on a clear dry afternoon on highway 25. Traveling at 60 mph they died instantly, but their passengers survived. One of the drivers was Sheila Wentworth who had left her home at 4 pm on Sunday with her nephew heading North on highway 25. By coincidence, the other driver, Dorris Hall, left her home at 4:00 PM as well…
Dr. Dexter Johnson was an internationally recognized radiologist born December 6, 1931 and died February 4, 2003. He graduated from the University of Washington medical school. He began as a general practice physician in Lynden plus residency time on the medical staff at the old State mental hospital in Sedro Woolley. He did a residency in radiology at Mayo's and practiced in Montana for several years until moving back to Seattle. We were close friends who both worked on purse seine fishing…
i'm writing this on Super Bowl Sunday so here are some facts you could easily live without ever knowing about them, but I'll share them anyway. Did you know that in the 1960s Congress granted the NFL a tax exempt status? Section 501 (C) (6) of the Internal Revenue Code provided a tax exemption. It applied to "business leagues, chambers of commerce, real estate boards, and professional football leagues." According to the Arizona Republic newspaper Pro football is the most popular…
Today, January 24th, is the annversary of the death of a great coach and mentor to me, William Taylor. I've published a full account of my high school relationship to this great coach and his profound influence in my life: https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/01/william-taylor.html Many of us can point to one person or perhaps several people who played significant roles in our life. People who made the difference at a tipping point in our lives. Someone whose words or actions changed our attitude…
There is a website that has some inspriational stories http://www.thestoreofinspiration.com Here's one that has particular meaning to me at age seventy nine (in February): A few weeks ago, I was shuffling toward my basement ham radio shack. What began as a typical Saturday morning, turned into one of those lessons that life seems to hand you from time to time. Let me tell you about it. I turned the dial-up into the phone portion of the band on my ham radio in…
Today's post has no real purpose except to publish some notes I've made while reading before I lose them. Nothing profound here, but some are interesting or amusing perhaps. Here are a few of the notes: "I married beneath me – all women do." Lady Nancy Astor If you have wondered where the expression "crossing the Rubicon," referring to decisions of great significance originated, it's from Roman history. Julius Caesar made his military reputation with his campaigns in Gaul and became a popular hero. However, back in…
My sister Phyllis Ennes died on January 7, 2013. She was the oldest of the three children with Anita Mayer in the middle and I as the youngest. For my previous post about Phyllis see https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/01/phyllis-luvera-ennes-1928-2013.htm Born to Paul and Mary Luvera in Anacortes she graduated from Anacortes High School in 1946 with honors and attended the University of Washington where hs obtained a degree in English. In 1953, the year I graduated from high school, she earned a teaching certicate from…
I'm reading Bill Bryson's book One Summer in America about events in 1920's. I was reminded of the fact that France had seized Germany's industrial center for failure of the German's to keep up with their reparation payments dictated by the truce that ended World War I. The result was inflation out of control. The German Mark had traded at 4 to the dollar before the war and now shot up to 600,000 to the dollar. Prices began to double…
When we are very young time seems to move ever so slowly. When we are in our teens we are anxious to be grownups. When we are in our twenties it seems there are so many goals we must accomplish before we are "old." Then middle age comes upon us and each birthday with a zero in it makes us worry about getting old. If you are blessed to live as long as I have, you notice that after sixty…
I've written about this extraorindary woman every year since her death. Elizabeth (Betty) Catherine Devitt, who was born December 5, 1910 in Butte,Montana and died December 20, 1985 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. For a complete biography of this amazing person please see https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2012/12/elizabeth-catherine-barnett-1910-1995.html.html I loved…
