Family's cherished 12s quilt in memory of late father goes missing

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. - A family in Fircrest is devastated after two one-of-a-kind quilts went missing this weekend.

The quilts were made in honor of their late father, Henry Mauer, who passed away on November 6, 2019, at the age of 87.

One of the daughters, Marilyn, stitched them out of his shirts. She said he was a big Seahawks fan and loved wearing flannel.

The plan was to make six of them, one for each of her brothers and sisters.

She mailed two of them out for some final work, and they were mailed back this weekend, but when Marilyn arrived home the box was missing.

She believes someone stole it off her front porch.

“I’m really, really hurt by the loss of the Seahawks quilt because that was special to commemorate Karen. She was the youngest kid and after my mom died she was my dad’s closest companion,” said Marilyn. “They went to Seahawks games together every year for over 30 years until he wasn’t able to go anymore in 2018. I was so looking forward to sharing that with her, and it’s not going to happen now.”

The Seahawks quilt is 30 by 30 and meant to go up on the wall. There’s a number “12” in the center, and a special design that includes their father’s shirts and love for the Hawks.

“I mean they’re priceless to us right, but I don’t know what that person did with them now and that’s hurtful to think they ended up thrown away or just discarded because that’s our dad,” said Karen Mauer-Smith. “That’s all the love and work that went into it that was supposed to be special for us.”

A second 58 by 60 quilt that has their father’s old flannel shirts sewed in was also in the package that is now gone.

This quilt was sewn together using their father, Henry Mauer's, shirts. He passed away in November 2019, and the quilts were made in memory of him.

The family is asking the community to take a good look at the unique quilts.

If you happen to find them, please return it to Fircrest Presbyterian Church. The address is 1250 Emerson St, Fircrest, WA 98466. No questions will be asked.

You can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously if you know who stole the quilts, or how to help get them back. Use the P3 Tips app on your smart phone that you can download for free to submit the information to Crime Stoppers, or call the hot line at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).