Felicia Van Praagh

Flicks would be delighted to know that one of those tiny baby girls from China, whom she helped find forever homes, just had her own baby girl, Joni! She looks just like the picture of her mother as a baby that we received when we learned that WE were going to become parents. Flicka is responsible, not just for the flourishing lives of all of the children she placed, but of all the generations descended from them. The gift she gave so many waiting parents, like us, will live on! Liz Ornstein (Mom to Sarah Jun Ornstein, new Wei Jun in Hefeii, China on January 18, 1994)

Flicka continues to be in our hearts and memories. As she guided us through the adoption of our daughter, Katie, from S. Korea, she was gentle, kind, and always understanding. She soothed us through the delays, and always was there for us with helpful suggestions. Katie is now 34 years old, intelligent, beautiful, and so much a part of our hearts it often brings me to tears. It was a match made in heaven, and we thank Flicka for helping to make it happen!

I only had a brief year to spend with Flicka as her employee from 1996 to 1997. Just during this brief time, Flicka became a tremendous mentor to me. She guided me to graduate school, and ultimately the social work profession. Flicka was kind, patient, elegant, and I will always remember her loving support of me as a young woman. I will not forget her gentle strength and commitment to serving children and families.

My husband and I are saddened to have just learned of Flicka's death. While it had been a long time since we had seen her---we remember her dearly as the guiding spirit behind our adoption of our daughter, Jia, from Nanning, China. Flicka travelled with us in 1999, cane and all, to Ghuanzhou to help us navigate the arrival of our daughter into our lives. Now 19 years later--we are about to embark on maybe the impossible--but to see if we can locate Jia's birth parents. I am sure that Flicka would have been able to give us sound advice. We will remember her for her tenacity and deep understanding of the adoption process. She helped us have a wonderful family.

My father, brothers and I would like to thank Leslie Case for her generosity and kindness in making this condolence book available. It has been so sustaining and gratifying to read. Mum believed in family. Helping build families was one of the great joys of her life.

Thank you all for sharing your memories. It means more than we can express.
Ian, Cecily, Ian Richard and Giles

Our family will always remember Flicka fondly because she helped my husband Mark and me to adopt our two sons, Adam and Matthew, from South Korea in 1986. She was our guiding light during the long application process, a touchstone whenever we had worries or concerns and a mentor in parenting. Her spirit will always live with us.

The Stanley family, Jeff, Patti & Katie, were saddened to learn of the death of Flicka. She was like family to us. No matter where in the country my husband was transferred, Flicka and I kept in touch, and it was like being in touch with a favorite aunt who always responded with kind words.

Flicka was a font of joy as she guided us carefully through the process of adopting our Katie from S. Korea 27 years ago. Flicka was a person of strength to be reckoned with as I saw her when I peeked through the 2nd floor window at Kennedy Airport as she and 4 other women marched through customs, 5 babies in hand complete with suitcases and presents for the parents-to-be. She was the first one, tall and willowy, holding our Katie, and I thought my heart would stop as I rushed back to my husband.
Flicka was a person of great understanding as she came to our apartment for the home visit after Katie arrived. I had taken Katie for a walk in Riverside Drive Park, hoping to get her tired enough to be the perfect child. Instead, she screamed and cried all the while and I ended up frazzled, carrying her and the stroller all the way home. I wanted to bake blueberry muffins to show Flicka how I could handle being a mom, a part time professional currently on “new baby leave,” and that I could do anything. The muffins came out flat, Katie continued fussing, Flicka brought a social worker in training, and I was anything but brilliant. But a few kind words from Flicka set the tone for the hour they were there, the muffins were eaten, the tea was drank, and Katie settled down in Flicka's arms.

That was the Flicka that will always be in our hearts. God Bless her.

Flicka will always be a part of our "Forever Family." She helped us find our son, Christopher Revaz in Moscow in 1994, and our daughter Natalia Leanne in Moldova in 1996. She was a great advisor, and an extraordinary woman!

You have our deepest sympathies.
Steve, Teresa, Christopher and Leanne Bell

Jenna Ling (China,1992), Abby Ngoc (Vietnam, 1997) and I join so many others in offering Flicka's family another testimony to their dear wife/mother/grandmother's most important work. What our lives would be without her I can scarcely imagine. It has always been impossible to thank her (and Xiong Yan) enough for our very lives, yet of course, she knew.

Flicka changed our lives. She was an extraordinary person, caring, understanding and loving. She leaves a great legacy that we can all aspire to. My prayers.

Flicka was a woman with a great combination of grace and grit. She looked every inch an upper east side woman of a certain age, but would travel to the most unsettled and questionably secure areas of the world for her mission. She would set expectant parents straight, telling us nothing would be easy, walking us through impossible paperwork for the Chinese government, and paving the way for our daughter Maura's adoption within group #12 from China. We are forever grateful for her drive and spirit. Heartfelt sympathy to Ian and her family.

So sad to hear of Flicka's passing. She was instrumental in my adoption of my son Jake from Paraguay in 1992. I also had the pleasure of meeting her son at one of the wonderful Spence-Chapin events. I thought of her often through the years and will keep all of you in my prayers. She was just a wonderful, caring, joyful, and graceful woman. She will be missed.

I was so very sorry to learn of the death of Mrs. Van Praagh. I did not know her, but I work with her dear daughter Cecily. It is wonderful to read all the amazing stories of how Mrs. Van Praagh helped facilitate so many adoptions. My heartfelt sympathy to Cecily and her family.

Flicka was a miraculous force in our life. She will be remembered as a beautiful woman who lit up the room, was smart, positive and kind. As parents-in-waiting (for our domestic adoption) we were thrice-blessed; initially, by the mere presence of this extraordinary and loving woman---truly heaven-sent; and twice more as she united us with our sons, Casey and Eric. Her high spirits---and that wonderful laugh---touched all of us. Her faith in family, and the power of love, left the world a far better place.
Condolences to her family, friends, and the Spence Chapin community. We will cherish her memory.
Stephanie Palewski & Will Brumbach

Our family sends its deepest sympathy to Flicka's husband Ian and her beloved children and grandchildren. Flicka was such an extraordinary person, who steered us through the adoption of our two sons with wisdom, common sense and humor. Honestly, she made our family possible. She is a shining part of our boys' story and we still hold fast to her invaluable guidance. Her suggestions for raising our wonderful children are still in use today. We are grateful, and have always been grateful, to have known such an incredibly wise, kind and true person, who has done immeasurable good in the world, one child, one family at a time. We will miss Flicka and will always, always remember her.

Flicka had a gift to make you feel at ease with her wonderful sense of humor and kind heart. She built the bridge that brought Nancy in our lives and we all are eternally grateful. She will never be forgotten. May she rest in blissful peace.

It was Flicka's presentation on the beautiful Bulgarian children that started us on our adoption journey that culminated in us becoming parents to our beautiful daughter Lilia. Thank you for changing our lives in such a remarkable way and sharing your wonderful gift with so many families. We send thoughts and prayers to your family.

So sad to hear of Flicka's death…such a critical contributor to the adoption community. Her life made a difference in the lives of all our Spence families.

Regards,

Carole Renee (f/k/a Laird) Hasz
Adoptive Mother of 2 Children through Spence-Chapin

- Carole Renee Hasz

I adopted my daughter, Elena Minxiang, in November 2003. Flicka and some of her family joined that trip to Nanning. Her genuine joy at the creation of new families -- aided by programs she helped to build -- was profound. Years later when we met at Spence events -- she knew who Elena was. She was a great lady who did great work.

Flicka was truly a wonderful human being who touched our lives with her kind actions and lovely smile. It was a privilege to have known her.

My thoughts and prayers are with Ian,Cecily,Ian and Giles. Flicka was my first supervisor when I returned to Spence-Chapin as a social worker. I have always been grateful for her guidance, encouragement and inspiration. She became both colleague and friend. She will be dearly missed but th contribution she made in bringing families together will live on for generations to come.

Our deepest condolences to the family of the most incredible spirit there was in the adoption circle of Spence Chapin...she believed in us and brought our children to us from near and far.Rest in peace knowing you did God's work well...

Flicka is an inspiration to all. She was kind and generous of spirit. We built our family thanks to her steady and gentle guidance, and we will never forget her. Meg, Carmine, Lily & Grace D'Ariano

Our deepest sympathy to Flicka's family. We are forever grateful and blessed to be parents. Flicka was our caseworker in 1982 and was enormously helpful in getting us through the Korean adoption process. Our daughter, Jennifer, is married with a a 20 month daughter and another one on the way. Flicka made this all possible. We are not only parents, but grandparents. Flicka you are forever in our hearts and memories.

Flicka was an amazing woman. We brought our daughter home from China in 1994 as the China program was just gearing up. Flicka was the lighthouse in a storm that guided us through the maze of international adoption. I am so glad that I got to see her again -- and introduce her to my now 20 year old daughter at the celebration of 20 years of China adoption about a year and a half ago. May her memory always be a blessing.

Thank you Flicka for being the guiding light as we adopted our two children from Paraguay. Her reassuring voice always brought us comfort. She will forever be part of our adoption story. Our heartfelt condolences to her family.
Peter, Martha, Anna and Alex Smith
N Abington Twp, PA

Rest in peace and know that you made a difference in our lives.

Flicka was truly a wonderful human being who touched our lives with her kind actions and lovely smile. It was a privilege to have known her.

Our thoughts and prayers to Cecily,Ian,Giles and Sweet Ian. Hugs to you all. Much love, Rich, Becca,Chase and Lee

Flicka was the International Director but became our caseworker with the untimely passing of Fran Singer. She went out of her way to make sure everything was in order. We were the first travel group from Spence to adopt from Wuxi Welfare Institute and it couldn't have gone better. I know she's up in heaven smiling down on all her babies!

Flicka was a truly dedicated and compassionate person, and organized and determined, too. I am sure that more than one bureaucrat succumbed to her logic and charm to cut red tape that can tangle even the most precisely-laid adoption plans. My best regards to the family, and special greetings to Ian, whom I knew during his time at Columbia.

Flicka will always have a place of honor in the hearts and minds of the Freedman-Pantaleo family. Flicka was our adoption caseworker at Spence-Chapin and brought our two beloved children, Jesse and Matt, to us from Korea. We have so many wonderful memories of Flicka's warmth and laughter. She made us so comfortable with the international adoption process and prepared us so well. She was such a special person. May her memory be a blessing.

Flicka was truly remarkable. I will be forever grateful for her assistance and guidance in bringing my daughters and I together as a family. So sad to hear she has passed.

Our thoughts are with your family, especially Sam, Giles and Stacy, members of the Friends Seminary community.
Bo Lauder, Principal

Flicka was truly a force for good. She was our caseworker while we were going through the adoption process for Madeline, who was her very last referral in early 2004. Tomorrow, in addition to being my wife Jessica's birthday, will be the 11th anniversary of our home visit with Flicka. In addition to her dignified bearing, knowledge, and kindness, she was pretty darned funny.

Thanks to Flicka, we were able to start a family and for that we will forever be in her debt.

We are forever grateful to Flicka who facilitated the adoption of our beautiful daughter Hannah. Her keen intelligence and her compassionate spirit helped so many children throughout the world.

My husband, Brooks Adams, and I, were indelibly marked by Flicka's wry, kind, indeed gallant presence -- in her full-skirted, cotton shirtwaist dresses and plastic headbands -- through the heavy August rainstorms of Guangxi and Guangdong Provinces, as she brought us together with our dear daughter Juno, now fifteen. We extend hearfelt condolences to her family. Lisa Liebmann Adams

My daughter Lita and I would have been lost had it not been for Flicka's quick action on our behalf when we were finalizing Lita's adoption in China. We are forever grateful for her steady presence and guiding hand. Through her actions countless families have been created.

Oue deepest sympathy to Flicka's family. We are forever grateful and blessed to be parents because of Flicka. We were part of her last group to China. She was an amazing woman. May she rest in peace knowing the love and joy she brought to so many.

We, the parents of two of the "in excess of 500 children" Flicka helped place in adoption while at Spence-Chapin, would like to express our condolences to her family as well as our thanks, once again, to Flicka for guiding us through the 14 months that led up to the arrival of our then six-month and now 32-year old twin daughters, Jessie and Corey. Her spirit lives on in all of us.

Jon Silbert and Bonnie McHale

Flicka was an wonderful person, and I am forever grateful to her for the important role she played in the adoption of our daughter. We adopted our daughter from China in 1999, and Flicka was a a wonderful guide through the complex adoption process. We saw Flicka about a year an a half ago at a Spence-Chapin function, and her ability to remember and her interest in all the children she had placed in forever families was amazing.