From today's New York Times... Ardis James passed away at 85. She was a philanthropist and fabric addict who established the largest collection of quilts in the world. She established an international center for quilt study at the U of Nebraska. "Once, offered a fur coat
by her husband, she chose a sewing machine instead..." "For Mrs. James, the hypnotic pull of quilts lay in theirtangible links to the past, to the land, to makers known and unknown".

She was one of us! Dotty

and this topic was posted earlier http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-138237-1.htm with a picture of her and hubby.