Betty Jane Moracca, this is her story.

My great grandmother came from 

Italy to America stuffed in an 

old suitcase when she was a young girl.

Her parents were fleeing the country afraid for their

family's future in the beginning of WWI.

They smuggled my little great grandmother, Kate, in an 

old suitcase because they feared she would

be taken from them through the journey.

Once in America they made their trail all the way

to Kalispell Montana.

Around Kalispell in a little humble mountain town 

called Monroe. Which is near Hamilton, for those of you

you are familiar with Montana. In Monroe, my great grandparents raised their family through the much hard work of farming.

My great grandmother Kate grew up to become a beautiful Italian American woman. She married her love Denny Moracca (also an immigrant from Italy) and together they opened their soon to become thriving restaurant Denny's. Named after my great grandfather, Kate's husband, Denny Moracca. Denny's is still in Monroe today. (I wish I could share the "real" pictures of my family's history, but the are under contract due to publication regulations) I'm sorry :( But soon you may be able find the full version in your bookstore :)

Together they had my dear little grandma Betty Jane Moracca.

Along with four other children. Betty Jane was the baby of the family. She grew to a petite 4'11".

 Barely 90lbs dripping wet. 

My youngest daughter Audrey has 

her Italian olive colored eyes.

I get to see my beloved grandma

 every time I look 

into Audrey's eyes.

I wish I could continue on with this story

to say that all was 

bliss and merriment for the Moracca family.

Unfortunately, great grandma Kate and great grandfather Denny

divorced when grandma Betty was a young five year old girl.

Grandmother Kate took three of the children 

and grandfather Denny kept grandma Betty

and her older sister Bunny.

Through out grandma's youth along with great aunt Bunny's,

they worked on their grandparents farm. My great great grandfather

was quite a strong brute. He was harsh, insensitive and

quite abusive. Especially to little Betty Jane. 

He required the girls to work like 

grown men such as himself.

The only good that I can find from such abuse 

and behavior is that it definitely 

instilled a work ethic that

would continue on through

grandma's children and grandchildren.

Years passed and grandma became a young woman

 and pursued her nursing degree.

Once finished with school,

grandma decided to take over her

father's restaurant and run it full time.

There she met and fell in love with a very non Italian

man. A Dutch man who was a mechanic engineer 

in the United States Military. My grandfather Vernon. 

A young Dutch man who was born on his parents farm in 

rural Cheney Washington.

After his tour in Korea 

he and grandma reunited, married and

begun their journey in Monroe.

Together they owned and ran Denny's.

On August 14th 1958 came their first daughter,

my mother, Katherine Lorein. Two years later

on the exact same date came my 

aunt Verna. 

Years later, they moved their family to

Spokane Washington. Where grandpa Vernon

made his career as a mechanical engineer on trains.

Out of the ashes of an abusive

 childhood working on her grandparents farm

My grandmother Betty became a successful

business and restaurant entrepreneur.

Where she worked hard for her money

and conveyed a strong work ethic that would

be passed down through her generations.

Be encouraged and aim for the sky!