Dot Quiring / courtesy photo Bea Bauerle is pictured here seated with her five granddaughters, from left, Lindsey Bauerle, Alia Cecil, Alisa Bauerle, Lydia Quiring and Jamilah Rosas. Bea hosted a granddaughter quilting retreat June 25-27, 2021, where she helped the girls make her “Bea’s Brick Quilt” pattern.
Summer museum programs kick off with well-known quilter’s work
It’s time for the annual quilt show at Chase County Historical Museum in Champion.
Each year the summer Sunday museum programs begin with a quilt show displaying a large number of handmade quilts from the surrounding area.
This year, the quilt show will be featuring the work of the late Bea Bauerle, opening this Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and again the following Sunday, May 15.
Bauerle taught many adults and youths to quilt, including her daughters and granddaughters.
She taught classes in Nebraska, Colorado and Kansas as well as giving many “trunk show” presentations.
She also judged quilts at county fairs for several years.
Her quilts have been on display at the Imperial Community Center, Imperial Heights, Chase County Museum and Crossroads Wesleyan Church.
Bauerle’s quilts have been entered in quilt shows at the Chase County Fair, Nebraska Land Days, Threads Across Nebraska and the Nebraska State Fair.
She was active in the Nebraska State Quilt Guild—teaching classes during the annual conventions and served as the district rep.
In 1994, Bauerle received the Golden Thread Award and served as president of the Guild in 2008.
She enjoyed making quilts for high school graduates and new babies from her church.
In 2016, she made 15 patriotic quilts and presented them to veterans or veteran families in the CWC church family.
Christmas 2020, Bauerle made lap-sized quilts for all of her immediate family, presenting them during the family Christmas Eve supper.
She continued making quilts even to her last days at home, said her daughter, Dorothea (Dot) Quiring.
The family invites the community to a special viewing of some of Bauerle’s favorite quilts she has made over her 35 years of quilting.
Some smaller quilts made by Bauerle will be available for purchase at the quilt shows.
New museum displays
Charley Colton, president of the Chase County Historical Society, said they have added new displays and exhibits and rearranged the museum for a new, fresh look.
“The museum has looked the same for a long time, so we decided it was time to bring out some donated items that have been in storage and put them in the limelight—rotating the displayed items for the public to view,” he said.
The Sunday programs will be announced each week in this newspaper during the spring and summer months.