Marilyn Grant Layton

Marilyn Grant Layton, prominent Kentucky antiquarian and antiques dealer for the last 45 years and co-founder of Loch Lea Farm and Loch Lea Antiques, died Sunday, July 6, 2025 at age 92.

Lyn was at her Main Street, Paris store six days a week until a stroke on May 30 and never tired of the thrill of discovering treasures and learning something new every day. She thrived on sharing her passion with like minded friends and via her handwritten “story cards” about gifts purchased at Loch Lea.  Although a native of New Jersey, she became a scholar and enthusiastic teacher of Kentucky history and material culture, specializing in fine Kentucky and equine items.

Lyn and husband Gordon founded Loch Lea Farm in 1964, which was managed by their son Jim Layton until 2015.  Loch Lea Farm raised many top Thoroughbred racehorses including Bold N’ Determined (National Museum of Racing’s Hall of Fame), Teenoso (Horse of the Year at 4 in Europe), and champions Cherry Hinton, Imperial Beauty, and Stardom Bound.

Lyn Layton founded Loch Lea Antiques in 1980, selling at antique shows until she opened a storefront in 1986. She was an enthusiastic promoter of Paris for the next 39 years, a founding member of Paris’ Renaissance Program and even came up with Paris’ brand of “Horses, History, Hospitality”. She was active in the founding of Hopewell Museum in 1994 and organized symposiums and exhibits there during the museum’s early years.

She was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Paris since 1958, and served in several leadership roles there.  She graduated Cranford High School and New York State College of Home Economics at Cornell, 1954 with a Bachelor of Science degree.

Layton was born February 3, 1933 to Ruth and Orin B. Grant, in Rahway, NJ.  She is survived by her beloved family including daughter Margaret Layton,  sons James (Enola) Layton and Robert Layton, grandson Patrick (Aubree) Layton, granddaughters Kathleen (Edwyn) Kiely and Olivia Marilyn Layton; great-grandsons James Layton, Brendan Layton, Eamon Kiely and great-granddaughters Avery Layton, Grace Layton and Adelyn Kiely.

Visitation will be from noon on Wednesday, July 23 until a Celebration of Life at 2 pm, at First Presbyterian Church in Paris.  Expressions of sympathy can be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Paris, 517 Pleasant Street, Paris, KY  40361.  Hinton-Turner Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.  www.hintonturner.com