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. Babarovich. He and my grandmother had seven children all of whom, except my mother, Mary, who was…
On February 27, 1981 Lita Theresa Barnett and I were married at our house at 2727 LaVenture Road in Mount Vernon, Washington. It was a day to remember not just because of the romantic significance, but the Keystone Kops circumstances surrounding it as well. What? you don't know who the Keystone Kops were? They were famous in Max Sennett's silent comedy movies of 1912's involving a bunch of incompetent police clumsily racing to the rescue, but always making things worse. The similarity…
I was born eight two years ago today, on Thursday, February 21, 1935, the youngest child of my parents Paul and Mary Luvera. My sister Phyllis was the oldest and Anita was the middle child. I was born at the small hospital in Anacortes, Washington. In dad's book, An italian Immigrant's Journey, he says he had a bet with his friend Rex Stevenson that the baby (me) would be a boy and Rex said it would be a girl. The…
Two members of our family died on the same day, but years apart and in different places. My paternal grandmother, Phyllis Flippa Luvera, born in 1870 died in Anacortes on December 20, 1946, My wonderful mother in law, Elizabeth (Betty) Barnett was born in 1910 and died in Pierce County December 20, 1985. Nonna Luvera, dad's mother, was an Italian grandmother who looked and sounded like what an Italian grandmother should look and act like. She spoke no English, but she…
That's the title of a book written by my father Paul Luvera Sr and edited by my sister Phyllis Luvera Ennes. It has just been privately printed for our large family and it is an interesting story of an immigrant family's success in America. I just published in this blog, on the anniversary of dad's death, November 4th, a short outline of his life. It's the story of a young boy who traveled with his mother and sister from Italy…
Today is the anniversary of the death of my father, Paul Nicholas Luvera Sr. 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 for a complete history of his life. Dad was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, the son of Niccola and Fillippa Luvera. His father and oldest brother left for Canada where they worked for the Canadian Pacific Railroad installing tracks until they earned…
Sonora resort is located in British Columbia Canada's discovery islands between Vancouver Island and the mainland. It can be reached from Vancouver Canada by helicopter or on a Kenmore floatplane from Seattle. A water taxi also connects on a daily basis from Campbell River BC. This five-star resort has swimming pools, an outstanding spa, indoor tennis court, hiking and biking trails, nature water tours, a basketball court, a theater, a library, and a game room along with other luxury features. This is a five…
The Anacortes Museum has an incredible collection of material about Anacortes which includes photos and videos. See collection at: http://www.cityofanacortes.org/museum. Here are a few that have a connection to my family. This is a photo of my dad Paul Luvera, Sr. who took up totem pole carving in his retirement. The story has been recounted elsewhere in this blog but this photo captures it well Mother & dad were married 64 years. He immigrated from Italy & mother's family from…
My father in law, Hollis Barnett died on March 22nd 1990. He was a unique and wonderful man. You can read about his extraordinary wife Betty Barnett and more about this couple whoI grew to love. https://paulluverajournalonline.com/weblog/2010/03/i-write-this-in-memory-of-my-wifes-father-hollis-hall-barnett-whodied-in-puyallup-washington-on-march-22-1990-at-the-a.html Hollis Hall Barnett died in Puyallup, Washington at the age of 83. Hollis was born in Buckley, Washington on May 3, 1907 and spent his younger years at Mt. Rainier National Park where his father, Herman "Herm" Burke Barnett, was a National Park Ranger….
Our loving, sweet, little dog, Josephine, unexpectedly died last night. After thirteen years of being entertained and greatly loved by her it was a gut wrenching experience for Lita and I. It was especially hard and painful for our friend Julie Albers and her husband Randy. Josephine died in Julie's arms with Randy trying to do CPR to save her, but it wasn't to be. Lita and I were in Seattle for the night and Julie and Randy were taking care of her when she became ill. Calls to the…
