Voices of The Willows
Claim This Podcastby KelLee Parr
Podcast Overview
<p>The Voices of The Willows tells the adoption stories of the women and children of The Willows Maternity Sanitarium in Kansas City, Mo.</p>
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
4/29/2026
1 verified contact email on file for Voices of The Willows
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Recent Episodes
July 16, 2026
Episode 6: A Team Effort - Carolyn's Story
<p>This episode of the Voices of The Willows podcast features Carolyn Noble Vagourdes, an adoptee from The Willows Maternity Sanitarium, along with her daughter, Lisa Toner, and her granddaughter, Melanie Gordon. Together, they discuss their recent journey to uncover Carolyn’s biological history.</p><p></p><p>Carolyn grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and was always aware she was adopted. Although she knew she was born at The Willows in Kansas City, Missouri, early attempts to find information about her biological family were unsuccessful because the records were sealed under Missouri law.</p><p> </p><p>The search was reignited after Melanie read one of KelLee Parr’s books about The Willows that contained updated information regarding the shifting legal landscape for accessing adoption records.</p><p></p><p>Melanie reached out to a Willows alumni group on Facebook. Within two hours, a member provided Carolyn’s birth name: Ardes Hastings. Lisa, an attorney, managed the complex process of requesting the original birth certificate. Melanie spent considerable time researching family trees on <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://Ancestry.com" target="_blank">Ancestry.com</a> to identify Carolyn's birth mother, Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Miller.</p><p></p><p>Melanie located an obituary for Betty’s brother and, through persistent outreach on a business website, connected with a cousin who facilitated contact with Carolyn’s half-brother, Gordon.</p><p>Gordon, who was unaware he had a sister, has since established a warm relationship with Carolyn and her family.</p><p></p><p>Carolyn and her family emphasize that it is never too late to begin a search and encourage others to be "bold and curious.” While they have not pursued information regarding Carolyn’s biological father, the family expresses deep satisfaction with the relationships they have built and the healing this discovery has brought to Carolyn’s life.</p><p></p><p>Listen to “A Team Effort,” Episode 6 of “Voices of The Willows” to learn more about Carolyn’s journey.</p><p></p><p>For more Voices of The Willows, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.voicesofthewillows.com" target="_blank">www.voicesofthewillows.com</a>. To support future episodes, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://VoicesofTheWillows.com/support/" target="_blank">VoicesofTheWillows.com/support/</a>.</p>
July 2, 2026
Episode 5: The Search Angel - Jan Koenig
<p>This episode of “Voices of The Willows” features Jan Koenig, a Search Angel who helps adoptees find their biological families with DNA technology and genealogical research. The conversation between host KelLee Parr and Jan provides a look into the world of Search Angels and the complexities of adoption discovery through The Willows.<br /></p><p>Jan’s involvement is deeply personal. His wife gave birth at The Willows in 1968, shortly before the institution closed. This connection sparked his interest in helping others from The Willows family navigate their own histories. He notes that searches involving The Willows are often more successful because the home kept meticulous records, sometimes including non-identifying background information that experienced researchers can decode.<br /></p><p>His primary tool is Ancestry DNA, which he recommends because its massive user database provides the most data points for matching. He explains how to identify relationships using centimorgans (cM), allowing him to narrow down potential relatives from a list of thousands. Once Jan can establish a genetic connection, he uses his “detective skills,” searching through obituaries, public records and old newspapers to build family trees and identify the specific common ancestors.</p><p></p><p>This episode also covers the emotional complexity of reaching out to biological relatives. Jan emphasizes the importance of the first contact in an adoption-related search. The searcher, not the Search Angel, should always make the first contact to avoid trauma or the risk of a third party messing up a one-time opportunity. While many reunions are joyous, Jan acknowledges the risk of negative reactions from birth parents who may have kept their past a secret for decades.<br /></p><p>Beyond the closure of finding family, Jan and KelLee highlight the life-saving potential of uncovering medical histories. KelLee shares an anecdote of an adoptee whose discovery of a family history of breast cancer led to proactive medical decisions that ultimately saved her life. Jan encourages anyone hesitant about searching for their biological family to proceed, noting that he has never met anyone who regretted gaining more clarity about their origins.</p><p></p><p>Jan can be reached at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="mailto:jakoenig@comcast.net" target="_blank">jakoenig@comcast.net</a>. </p><p></p><p>Listen to “The Search Angel,” Episode 5 of “Voices of The Willows,” to learn more about Jan’s journey.</p><p></p><p>For more Voices of The Willows, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.voicesofthewillows.com" target="_blank">www.voicesofthewillows.com</a>. To support future episodes, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://VoicesofTheWillows.com/support/" target="_blank">VoicesofTheWillows.com/support/</a>.</p>
June 18, 2026
Episode 4: Russ Sifers - I Am a Fortunate Son
<p>This episode of “Voices of The Willows” features Russ Sifers, a Willows baby born at the sanitarium in 1948. Russ talks with KelLee about his adoption experience and reuniting with two of his biological siblings.</p><p></p><p>Adopted just two weeks after he was born, Russ was welcomed into a family that already had two adopted children from Kansas City. At 10 years old, Russ was told that he had been adopted. It was not until his early adulthood that he began to wonder where he came from.</p><p></p><p>When Russ connected with KelLee at an Osher Lifelong Learning Institute class, he learned he could obtain his adoption papers. Once he had them, Russ could choose to contact his biological family with the help of Jan Koenig, a Search Angel who helps adoptees locate their birth families. Through Jan’s research, Russ discovered that he had a biological brother and sister, Craig and Carol.</p><p></p><p>Although Russ initially feared his siblings would reject him, he allowed Jan to call Craig. She left a message explaining the situation, and the rest was history. Russ and Craig were soon on the phone talking for hours, comparing their lives and emailing one another pictures to go alongside their stories.</p><p></p><p>Russ was careful to note that his experience was an exception, saying that reuniting with your birth family is not always a “Hallmark movie.” Some who were given up for adoption will not be accepted by their birth families, or will not reach out in the first place due to fear.</p><p></p><p>The three were scheduled to meet in California, but when Carol’s plans fell through, Russ spent the time with Craig and his wife in their neighborhood. Craig’s wife watched as the two brothers shared the same mannerisms, had the same reactions and even walked the same, acting as though they had never been apart.</p><p></p><p>Russ has never been able to meet Carol in person, but the pair spends plenty of time on FaceTime and emails back and forth. The three siblings plan to meet in Kansas City in the spring, once the weather has warmed up.</p><p></p><p>Listen to “I Am A Fortunate Son,” Episode 4 of “Voices of The Willows” to learn more about Russ’ journey.</p><p></p><p>For more Voices of The Willows at <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://VoicesofTheWillows.com" target="_blank">VoicesofTheWillows.com</a> or to support future episodes, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://voicesofthewillows.com/support/" target="_blank">voicesofthewillows.com/support/</a>.</p>
7 total episodes available
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- What is Voices of The Willows?
<p>The Voices of The Willows tells the adoption stories of the women and children of The Willows Maternity Sanitarium in Kansas City, Mo.</p> - How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates daily.
- Where can I listen to this podcast?
This podcast is available on 4 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
- Does this podcast accept guests?
Yes, this podcast regularly features guests.
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