163: Voices of Courage with Ken D. Foster - Episode 163

163: Voices of Courage with Ken D. Foster - Episode 163

Gain insights from experts and survivors on how courage, creativity and connection keep life moving forward, even after huge highs and heartbreaking lows. This time, the spotlight is on actress and author Kathy Garver, best known as Sissy from the classic TV series *Family Affair*, whose career has stretched from *The Ten Commandments* to Grammy-nominated audiobooks. Ken D. Foster chats with Kathy about what keeps her so endlessly creative in later life.

From a lively household with her adult son, his long-term partner and a spirited dog who “has shown me many creative ways of how to go up and down stairs,” Kathy shows that staying surrounded by life and laughter matters. She talks about writing her memoir *Surviving Sissy* and realising, only through putting it on the page, just how much spirituality had quietly guided her through events like her house burning down.

Her latest project, *Romancing with the Stars*, gathers 37 Hollywood couples and asks a simple question: how did their relationships last so long? As Kathy explains, common threads appear again and again: shared spirituality, a sense of being a team, everyday acts of care and, above all, trust. The stories range from Frankie Avalon and Pat Boone to a late‑in‑life reunion between Margaret Kerry (Disney’s original Tinker Bell model) and an old love, now in their 90s and 100s.

Kathy also breaks down the craft of voiceover and audiobooks, showing why you can’t just “pick up a book and read” if you want to do it well. She shares how creativity flows from curiosity, a willingness to try new things, and even seeing AI—“my best friend these days is ChatGPT”—as a playful partner.

Anyone looking to stay mentally sharp, emotionally open and actively engaged in life, whether in recovery or simply resetting their path, may come away asking: what small brave step of creativity could I take today?