Colorado man offers reward for lost container of heirloom quilts

David McIntosh took this photo before heading back to CO. Sunday. Blue storage container is pictured on top, strapped to his mom's other items. — David McIntosh took this photo before heading back to Colorado on Sunday. The blue storage container wrapped in duct tape is pictured on top, strapped to his mom’s other items. (photo courtesy of David McIntosh)

By KARI BLURTON
Hays Post

A blue plastic storage container holding quilts labeled “Luke’s wedding” and “Amanda’s baby” — along with six other quilts for future babies and weddings to come — has been lost and family members are desperate to find it.

All of the quilts were hand-made by the family’s 88 year-old matriarch.

David McIntosh, 60, was given the task to travel from his home in Colorado Springs to the family farm in Clay County to retrieve the container of quilts and furniture for his mother, Genevieve McIntosh, who had recently moved from the farm to Colorado.

McIntosh said he strapped the container and other items in the back of his truck Sunday and headed back to Colorado on Interstate 70.

Samples of type of quilts lost (photo courtesy of David McIntosh) — Samples of Genevieve McIntosh’s quilt work (photo courtesy of David McIntosh)

“I stopped in Salina to get coffee and noticed the load was still there,” he said. “I did not stop again until the Colorado line. I’m at a rest stop and I noticed it was gone. I don’t know how it happened.”

McIntosh and his sister began to quickly spread the word about the missing container via Facebook, the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Russell County Sheriff’s Office.

He has since received calls from two separate people who recalled seeing a container matching McIntosh’s description, west of Russell in a field near the Balta Road interstate exit.

McIntosh said the latest report was from a woman who reported she saw the container at about 1 p.m. Sunday.

David's mom, Genevieve McIntosh, pictured with one of her handmade quilts. (photo courtesy of David McIntosh) — Genevieve McIntosh, pictured with one of her handmade quilts and granddaughter Antoinette. (photo courtesy of David McIntosh)

Though many people continue to search the area, the container has not been found and McIntosh fears someone may have picked the container up and taken it with them.

“Monetarily, they are not valuable — just simple quilts for her kids, but worth so much more to us than they ever could for anyone else,” McIntosh said, adding the quilts are irreplaceable as his mom is no longer able to sew due to vision loss.

“I would pay a reward for someone to find them and bring them back,” he said. “If someone took them because they needed assistance in some way, I would be glad to trade (the quilts) for money that could actually help them.”

McIntosh asked the community to be on the lookout for the container and the quilts.

“The lost quilts were a variety of patterns and colors,” McIntosh said. “Many were white with colored accents, several using pieces of fabric from clothing that she made for kids and grandkids over the years.”

McIntosh added one quilt has diagonal stripes.

“My mom is an incredible person. She is 88 years old — she has a few years left, who knows how many — and she wanted to leave (the quilts) behind (for family),” he said.

McIntosh said his mom has taken the news in stride, but the guilt is getting to him.

“I am responsible. I would really like to restore the quilts back to my mom,” McIntosh said.

If anyone has the quilts or finds them, contact the the KHP at (785) 625-3753 or the Russell County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 483-2151.