Sister Paula Turnbull, artist behind Spokane’s Garbage Goat, dies at 97

Kelsie Morgan by Kelsie Morgan

The City of Spokane confirms Sister Paula Turnbull, the artist behind Spokane’s iconic Garbage Goat in Riverfront Park, has passed away.

The Garbage Goat has been in the park for more than 40 years. Sister Turnbull, a Catholic nun, designed it for Expo ’74 “as a recycling/environment statement.”

She spent her days in her studio in Spokane where she created works of art that now reside in churches throughout the country, according to her alma mater Holy Names Academy.

Among her creations are the Australian Sundial in Riverfront Park, the statue of Mrs. Browne and her daughter in Browne’s Addition, and various other iconic sculptures throughout Spokane.

The City of Spokane says, “Sister Paula Turnbull will be greatly missed. She was a wonderful person and an amazing artist. Her legacy will endure.”

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