(Photos shown are of Kathie Adler with her clowns at her factory sewing machine in 1991 and Kathie with Madeline Balletta, founder of Bee Alive Royal Jelly health products, after Kathie interviewed Madeline on her radio show in 1987.
As a young girl, Kathie was always talking. But being loquacious would pay off years later. Kathie's English teacher (her favorite subject was English and writing) wrote in Kathie's 1964 high school yearbook, "To Kathie who talks incessantly but has more than enough charm to be excused." From a father who never had the utmost patience with her, this compliment was a breath of fresh air and gave Kathie a confident feeling about herself that she couldn't get from anywhere else. Kathie had one sister, Patricia, (3 years older) and one brother, Anthony (10 years younger) who have both passed away. Kathie's brother was born with CP, cerebral palsy, from loss of oxygen due to a doctor's mistake. He was never able to walk or talk, but having a disabled brother created compassion in Kathie and also her sister, and her brother was a joy to everyone that took care of him.
Growing up, Kathie's father was an alcoholic who drowned out six spinal surgeries and back pain until he found Jesus in the 1960's. Because of his wife, Mary's, modeling of Christian love and patience, he came to find God. Kathie's grandmother greatly influenced the entire family to know God in a personal way through her godly example. Mary came first, then Kathie, then her dad, then her sister, Pat.
Kathie began taking piano lessons when she was about twelve years old. She continued with her Uniondale High School music teacher, Mr. Mendelsohn, and after getting married in 1972, Kathie took lessons from a concert pianist in Stony Brook who played often at Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. From there, Kathie took lessons from Larry Pearlstein, a band leader and innovative music teacher, who taught her a bit of jazz and how to play by ear since Kathie could only use sheet music to play her classical pieces.
Around 1978 or so, Kathie had a Bible study in her home, and thereafter, due to the death of a friend of hers, she joined CARIS and the Help Jesus Ministry which ministered to those in the cults, going on live radio for two years from 1979-1980 on Saturday mornings. Kathie incorporated a ministry called Narrow Way Ministries with her grandmother, mother, and a close friend of hers. In 1984, Kathie's mother, Mary, passed away at a hospital due to malpractice. This was a terrible tragedy in Kathie's life. But after two years, Kathie went back on the radio, this time five nights a week, thirty minute shows, and that lasted until early fall, 1988.
Kathie did shows on the tragic Jonestown Massacre (Nov. 18, 1978). 900 followers of the Rev. Jim Jones, leader of People's Temple in California, committed revolutionary suicide in the hot jungles of Guyana, South America by drinking Flavor Aid laced with cyanide. Many of Jones' followers were murdered by Jones' henchmen either by gunshot or forced injections. Five people that went to speak with Jim Jones, bringing 17 others with them (not a good idea to do with a paranoid cult leader who doesn't want followers to leave) died at the Port Kaituma airstrip, shot by followers of Jim jones. "They were: Congressman Leo Ryan; photographer Greg Robinson of The San Francisco Examiner; cameraman Bob Brown and reporter Don Harris from NBC; and Temple defector Patricia Parks."
https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=35346
Kathie used National Public Radio's cassette tapes by permission but was only permitted to use ninety seconds of their tapes, "Father Cares, the Last of Jonestown." . Sadly, the Jonestown Massacre broadcasts were Kathie's most popular radio broadcasts. https://www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/jonestown
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leo_Ryan
Kathie also taught on other cult groups such as the Moonies and the Way International and Satanism. She taught also on basic Christian beliefs and how to recognize the common traits of a cult. Kathie was invited to speak in many churches on Long Island, about fifty of them, and was invited as a guest speaker at Blue Mountain Christian Retreat Center in New Ringgold, Pennsylvania to share her expertise. Kathie was well-respected by cult apologists and authors such as Dr. Robert Morey, Professor James Bjornstad, and Bill and Joan Cetnar, all who are now with the Lord.
Saying that Kathie Adler was always talking as a kid is an understatement. But it means that her ability was used by God and became useful for radio!! And that is all God's doing. He creates us to glorify Him, and she has done just that.
Kathie and her husband were doll manufacturers in the late 1970's to the late 1980's, manufacturing all types of hand-made cloth dolls and bears with ten people working in a cottage industry out of their homes. Many doll shops across Long Island purchased Kathie's line of dolls from Huntington to Port Jefferson to Glen Cove. A few companies wanted t manufacture them overseas, but Kathie and her husband declined. Kay Adler Dolls were sold and shipped across the country even to gift shops on Rodeo Drive in California.
Kay Adler Dolls created well-made dolls out of the best-quality fabrics. Although Kathie no longer manufactures or sells dolls and bears, you can view them online at the website Kathie created. It is often easier to access the doll website from a cell phone. Let us know if you are able to log onto: www.KayAdlerDolls.com
