Goodbye from the Microphone

To all of you dear and faithful listening friends, I’ve just recorded my last 5-minute program of Life Issues. I’ve been privileged now for over 18 years to daily share thoughts with you, – in fact, almost 5,000 different times.

But the time has come for me to cut back. I’m 78 years old and healthy, but my dearest wife, Barbara, who has walked with me for 55 years, will be glad to have me at home more. We’ve been generously blessed with 20 grandchildren and both of us want to spend more time with them.

Our six children, of whom I’m immensely proud, have been badgering me for years to slow down and maybe write the history of the pro-life movement. My answer has always been that we are too busy still making history to stop and write it.

I’ll not be completely off the air as my timeless, one-minute Life Jewels, in English and Spanish will still be heard in the US and in over 800 locations in South America in Spanish and Portuguese. Furthermore, I’ll still be the publisher of Life Issues Connector and the editor of the Cincinnati Right to Life and International Right to Life newsletters.

Our new book, Abortion: Questions and Answers, Love Them Both, has just been published, so there will be enough speaking engagements to keep my honey and me busy. The transfer from my five-minute program to my partner Brad Mattes’ one-minute program on current events should be a major positive step. Instead of my more in depth commentary on happenings that have occurred days or weeks ago, he will bring you a daily one-minute report on that very day’s events. Our new state of the art satellite capabilities make this possible.

So you are not losing Dr. Willke, you are gaining Brad Mattes, and you’ll be getting the same value-laden information. My freed-up time will enable me to expand my outreach more internationally, which involves traveling, lecturing, writing, and I’ll still join Brad from time to time when needed.

This parting is bittersweet. I’ll be glad to be relieved of this daily duty, but sad at not being able to continue to share my thoughts with you. However, seasons change and my autumn moves on progressively. So it is with real sadness that I write to all of you dear and faithful listeners. Goodbye from the microphone, and may almighty God bless each one of you abundantly.