Remembered with love
‘Trish’s
Attic’ exhibit memorializes
late owner of Treasured Child
Textiles
and clothing exhibit
to open on Valentine’s Day
By
Helen E. McKinney
Contributing Writer
LA GRANGE, Ky. (February 2009) – Trish Garlock
will always be remembered for her abundant generosity, kindness and
sense of humor. As a lasting tribute, a clothing display has been set
up at the Oldham County History Center in her honor.
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Photo
provided The
late Trish Garlock, |
“Trisha’s Attic is a display that was designed
with memorial funds in memory of Trish Garlock,” said Nancy Theiss,
executive director of the Oldham County History Center, 106 N. Second
Ave., La Grange. The display will be housed upstairs in the Peyton Samuel
Head Museum and will open Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day.
“The exhibit contains textiles and clothing from the museum’s
collection,” said Theiss. Additional hands-on activities include
a dress-up area for children, an ongoing film about the history of 20th
century textiles and clothing, and an area where children can cut paper
dolls and practice weaving.
“Trish was well known for dressing up and for her vintage clothing
collection. She often dressed in Victorian style when she worked at
The Treasured Child,” Theiss said.
She tried to present a turn-of-the-century atmosphere, said Rick Garlock,
her husband and co-owner of The Treasured Child. The couple opened the
toy store on Main Street in La Grange in April 1997. On March 10, 2008,
employee and retired teacher Donna Schwedler bought the business.
Trish died unexpectedly on May 20, 2007. “She was very gregarious,
committed to lots of different causes and children’s issues,”
said Rick Garlock. She worked for United Nations agencies and was a
school teacher in Germany.
Upon retiring as a United States Air Force pilot, Rick took a job with
the United Nations to help displaced war refugees. The couple managed
refugee camps in Turkey, Yugoslavia and Africa. Once they had returned
to the Untied States, they moved to Oldham County to be near friends
and opened The Treasured Child.
Rick said he and Trish had traveled all over the world and Trish would
visit toy stores wherever they went. The stores provided an “insight
into the culture” of the countries, he said.
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Photo
by Helen E. McKinney This
Victorian dress |
Her motto was always “Every-body should have toys,
regardless of their age.” And she saw to it that they did by stocking
her shelves with a variety of items.
Lis Schwedler, the current owner’s daughter-in-law, is now a sales
manger for The Treasured Child. Trish was very energetic, said Schwedler.
“You could be in the worst mood possible, and after spending time
with her, walk out with a smile on your face.”
The exhibit is “a reflection of her work at the History Center,”
said Rick Garlock. “She was one of many volunteers.” The clothing
is a good way for children to learn about history, he said.
“Trish was on the (Oldham County Historical Society) Gala Committee
and helped with exhibits,” said Theiss. She was well known for
her love of history.
Karen Eldridge, owner of Karen’s Book Barn and Java Stop, had worked
with Trish on several projects at the History Center. For Eldridge’s
first year on the History Center’s Gala Committee with Trish, the
theme was the Roaring 20s. She said Trish not only kept an eye out for
auction items but looked for period clothing for Eldridge as well, helping
other volunteers any way she could.
“She was a larger than life person,” said Eldridge. “Everybody
wanted to do something for her.” Donations have been made to fund
this exhibit because those she knew wanted to have a “lasting tribute
to her love of dressing up, children and history.”
Eldridge and Trish also worked on many La Grange Main Street Programs
and the two were part of a group of local business owners that took
part in Destination Bootcamp, a program for business owners who want
to re-invent their businesses into consumer destinations, in Florida
several years ago. “She got things accomplished,” said Eldridge.
“Once she set her mind to it, she got it done.”
• For more information on Trisha’s Attic or other programs and exhibits at the Oldham County History, contact Nancy Theiss at (502) 228-0826 or visit: www.oldhamcountyhistoricalsociety.org.