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Life Under The Willow Tree

Life Under The Willow Tree

By: The Podcast Group at Willow Valley Communities
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Podcasts designed by Willow Valley residents, for Willow Valley residents, their friends & families. These podcasts are about Willow Valley residents and the people and events that surround them. Art Career Success Economics Entertainment & Performing Arts
Episodes
  • E226: LUWT Maggie Stauffer Interviews Ken Smith

    E226: LUWT Maggie Stauffer Interviews Ken Smith
    Jul 30 2026
    In this podcast, Maggie Stauffer interviews Willow Valley resident Ken Smith, whose life story illustrates the power of resilience, tenacity, and compassion. After a rocky start in higher education and missing out on his dream of attending the Naval Academy, Smith eventually found success as a distinguished naval aviator. During his military career, he survived a near-death ejection and unknowingly transported Oliver North during the Iran-Contra affair. Transitioning to the private sector, he became a commercial airline captain before dedicating his retirement to philanthropy and hospice volunteering. His journey is defined by a commitment to service, artistic pursuit, and a philosophy of living every day to the fullest.
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    35 mins
  • E223: LUWT Don Helin and Travel: Eating Around Lancaster

    E223: LUWT Don Helin and Travel: Eating Around Lancaster
    Jul 23 2026

    Notes: Restaurants Covered in This Podcast
    Rachel's Crepes
    McClearys in Marietta
    Achenbach's Bakery in Marietta
    The Brasserie in Lancaster
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    19 mins
  • E 221: Odd Jobs Part 2: Dale Johnson and Elaine Kurceba

    E 221: Odd Jobs Part 2: Dale Johnson and Elaine Kurceba
    Jul 10 2026
    The podcast Life Under the Willow Tree features residents of the Willow Valley community sharing the unusual and unexpected jobs they held throughout their lives. The hosts, Dale Johnson and Elaine Kurceba, interview various individuals who recount roles ranging from a movie theater attendant and a deodorant factory worker to a hypnotist's assistant and a secret spy. Some stories highlight dramatic life shifts, such as a civil engineer who once paddled a kayak to escape East Berlin or a music professor who spent decades as a mail carrier to preserve his creative energy. Other residents describe youthful endeavors like go-go dancing in a skating rink, serving as a sleep supervisor at a reform school, or handling pythons for a zoo. These narratives serve to celebrate the diverse backgrounds and rich personal histories of the people within the retirement community. The episode concludes with the hosts sharing their own experiences as an actress and a geographer who once dug graves and delivered meals by bicycle.
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    18 mins
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