Paul Luvera Journal

I’ve delayed making entries while this website is being updated and the design improved. The work is not completed, but here’s an early update of subjects I’d like to comment. Paul Luvera Sr.  1898 -1990 My father, Paul Nicholas Luvera Sr. was born on March 25, 1898. He died in Anacortes, Washington on November 4, 1990 at the age of 92. I’ve published details of his extraordinary life many times. See  https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2013/11/dad-1.html Dad was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, the son…

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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…

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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…

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I woke up this morning on February 21, 2020 and first thanked God for being alive after which I realized it was my 85th birthday. I am amazed how fast these years seem to have gone by. Harry Chapin wrote the wonderful song "All My Life's A Circle" with the lyrics: All my life's a circle;But I can't tell you why;Season's spinning round again;The years keep rollin' by.   I was born at the Anacortes hospital on this day in…

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Someone has said: "coincidence is God's way of being anonymous." Brett Lunsford, who is the director of the Anacortes Museum, recently sent me a photo of my mother and I standing next to a 1953 Chevrolet Bel Air car. That car is connected to my living in Gig Harbor Washington and the role of fate in my life. The connection involves being born and raised in Anacortes and ending up in Gig Harbor. After graduating from Gonzaga law school in…

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My maternal grandfather Peter (Petar) Babarovich was born April 12, 1861 in the village of Splitska on the island of Brac in the Adriatic Sea. He died in Anacortes, Washington March 5, 1935.  I was born 12 days after he died. It must have have been a very difficult time for my mother, to lose her father and then give birth to me.  He and my grandmother had seven children all of whom, except my mother, Mary, who was born in Anacortes,…

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My maternal grandmother Marija Babarovich was born September 9, 1863 and died on August 5th, 1953. She died the year I graduated from high school in Anacortes, Washington. Her life story is one of great courage and sacrifice involving immigration to America while not being able to speak English. I've previously talked about that in writing about my mother.https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/07/mary-thelma-luvera-.html.html I remember her vividly. A tall erect woman with hair piled high on her head, she looked regal and carried herself…

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This year's annual Skagit Pioneer picnic will honor my mother's family, the Babarovich family as Pioneer Family of the Year. It takes place on Thursday August 2nd as the 114th Annual Pioneer Association Picnic. It will take place at Pioneer Park from 11 am to 2 pm at Pioneer Park in La Conner. The park is located near the Rainbow Bridge and admission is $15 per person. Music, speeches and a salmon BBQ are featured. My sister Anita Mayer and…

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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 were…

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My grandfather, Nicola Luvera, was born in Italy where his father, Paolo Nicola and mother Rosa Luvera were were sheepherders And sharecroppers in Gallina Italy. He worked with his father until he was 16 years old when he decided to move to Reggio Calabria where a cousin Antonio working in a slaughterhouse. He was able to get a job with his cousin and lived with his family for four years. Then he married woman from his village. They had a girl…

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