I just came across this photograph taken in 1959. It makes me both smile and be proud. That's my dad, Paul Luvera, Sr. and my mother, Mary Luvera. We are standing on the steps of the Skagit County Superior Court house. I've just been sworn in by Judges Charles Stafford and Art Ward as a member of the Washington State Bar Association. I was presented to the court by Robin Welts and his son, David Welts, was presented by Alfred…
When I was a boy growing up there was no television. There was radio and the movies period. It was a time when you could find prizes in the breakfast food box or a coupon on the box to mail in for a special prize. Radio was the source of home entertainment. But, the radio was very special and a wonderful opening to a world of excitment and drama unlike anything television could provide because it involved the listener on a very personal level. You…
On March 9, 2008 I wrote about a unique man, Fred Hargesheimer, https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2008/03/an-inspiring-st.html He was P-38 fighter pilot in the Southwest Pacific who was on a photographic reconnaissance mission when the Japanese shot his plane down on June 5, 1943. Fred parachuted and ended up in the jungle. For some thirty one days he managed to barely survive when he was found by local natives who were hunting. They took him to their village and for seven months they nursed him…
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 St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Butte….
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 Italian candy she offered us when ever we visited. Nonno and…
Yesterday was our office Christmas party. Our office claims representative for many years and my childhood friend, Nick Petrish, has been out of the office undergoing treatment for medical problems, but he made it to this meeting. I showed some photos from our Anacortes high school days together and Rich Weyrich, the Skagit County Prosecutor, who is also an Anacortes graduate, sent along an old Anacortes American of 1954 because it had a picture of Nick on the front page as captain of the football…
I've enjoyed reading what I find about coach Bear Bryant because he was such a great leader and football coach. He was famous for continually saying to his players "Have you written your mamma today?" He was a good decent man. Someone sent my wife Lita this story and I enjoyed it so much I'm posting it. The source of this article is Larry Burton See: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/61880-it-dont-cost-nothin-to-be-nice IT DON'T COST NUTHIN' TO BE NICE At a Touchdown Club meeting many…
We just flew to New Orleans where I gave a talk to the New Orleans trial lawyers. I had enough time traveling to read a couple of books. One of them was by Marlo Thomas Growing up Laughing which is a delightful book about her father Danny Thomas and others involved in comedy. I realize these are corny jokes, but I laughed at them anyway when I read them in the book I just got back from a pleasure trip. I…
On this day,December 7, 1941 the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor Hawaii and America entered World War II. I remember the day very well. It was a Sunday and I was in grade school. It seemed like time stopped that Sunday morning because all of the adults were in shock. If you remember President Kennedy being shot in Dallas and the reaction of people, you know what the reaction was back in 1941 to the news. It came to us not…
