Spreading Warmth

When Floyd Goeller was only six years old, his mother taught him the art of making quilt tops. He had no idea that well over half a century would pass before he would use that talent again—this time to help those in need.

“I was 87 years old the summer of 1995 when I met my 91-year-old cousin Martha, a very experienced and talented quilter,” says Brother Goeller. “Upon learning that I had been taught how to quilt by my mother, she sent me 169 quilt blocks of many colors and different types of fabric.”

Brother Goeller took the blocks, added blocks made from his own fabric remnants, and, trusting that the Lord would provide, started to piece together a quilt top. Early the following spring, he asked the Relief Society president in his ward if she knew of anyone who might be willing to give him extra fabric remnants, which would allow him to finish his project.

He soon received more than enough fabric to finish the first quilt top, so he kept cutting, piecing, and creating. Since February of 1996 Brother Goeller has completed eight different quilt tops. The ward Relief Society helped him finish most of the quilts.

Brother Goeller has definite ideas about how the quilts should be used. He gave the first one to a young woman from the ward who was married in the temple. He gave the others to the Relief Society presidency in his ward, to be distributed to those in need due to emergency or disaster. As a result, at least five families now enjoy Brother Goeller’s quilts. “In this way they can feel not only physical warmth but the warmth of service and of the gospel,” he says.

Brother Goeller is a member of the Barrhead Ward, Edmonton Alberta Riverbend Stake.—Diane Kenney, Barrhead, Alberta, Canada