August 20, 2024

Linn County News

Published August 21, 2024

Leonard Dale Sprague passed away on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024, at Parkview Heights in Garnett, Kan. 

He was born March 17, 1934, at his family home near Lone Elm, Kan. Old Doc Kennedy, from Blue Mound, came to the farm west of Kincaid to deliver the sixth of seven children born to Arthur G and Ester Jean (Roberts) Sprague. Doc Kennedy had stopped on his way to the farm to treat a patient with scarlet fever and administered his first sulfa drugs to that patient. Unfortunately, he infected Dale with scarlet fever; however, Dale went on to enjoy 90 years of good health.

Dale’s love of farming and finance began at an early age when his dad gave him and two of his siblings three pigs to raise. The siblings’ pigs died but when Dale sold his pig for $24, he shared his profit with the two siblings, $8 each. From there his love of livestock and farming grew. Dale attended grade school at Lone Elm, then graduated from Kincaid High School in 1952. He was active in FFA, had his own cow herd, and achieved the FFA State Farmer Degree in 1949. He eventually had his own herd of registered Charolais cattle and sold and delivered cattle in nearly all of the lower 48 states.

On Feb. 14, 1954, Dale married Fern C. Huggins. Together they raised three children, Lonnie Dale, Latricia Bethine, and Shayla Daline. In 1975, Dale and Fern purchased the Farmers State Bank in Blue Mound. They later divorced.

On Easter Sunday, when Dale was 29 years old, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Dale had been conflicted for some time going so far as to make sure he was behind the barn when he knew a certain neighbor would be driving by on his way to church each Sunday.

On Aug. 6, 1982, Dale married Janice Brock Johanning adding another daughter, Elaine

(Johanning) Jaeger, and a son, Fred Johanning, to the family. They spent most of their married life on a farm northeast of Blue Mound. Dale continued his love of livestock raising several herds of cattle, elk, and buffalo over the years. In addition to prize winning Charolais cattle, he also won many awards for his buffalo at the Kansas Buffalo  Association’s annual sale held in December.

Farmers State Bank continued to grow under Dale’s leadership and branches were added in Pleasanton in 1989 and Garnett in 1990. He often said that his greatest joy in banking was seeing his customers succeed using funds borrowed from the bank. He served as Chairman of

the Board of the bank until his death.

He loved his kids and grandkids and was very proud of each one of them. As great-grandkids joined the family, they brought him much joy as well. He loved to work and said that work was his ‘hobby’ but as he got older, time with his kids and grandkids became more and more precious.

Dale enjoyed hunting and has many ‘trophies’ to show for his efforts including bear, elk,

reindeer, antelope, alligator, wild hog, and a wild buffalo that he hunted in Utah, as well as various turkey, deer, and quail. In 1989, Dale and Janice went on their first ski trip to Colorado and at age 55, Dale learned to snow ski. After that they went on several ski trips usually about the time of Dale’s birthday. Whether skiing or escaping the hot Kansas weather in August,

Colorado was always one of Dale’s favorite destinations. In 2002, Dale completed an item on his bucket list and participated in the annual Bike Across Kansas finishing the 400-plus mile route on his bike at age 68. In 2022, Dale marked another item off his bucket list when he and

Janice went on a Gaither cruise to Alaska.

Dale joined the Gideon organization in 1996 and he and Janice participated in many Kansas and International Gideon Conventions and Bible Distributions. Dale even took part in one in Botswana, Africa, in 2000. He held Gideon offices at the state and local levels and served two

years on the International Finance Committee. He was active in the local Gideon camp until earlier this year when his health began to fail. He was also an active member of the Blue Mound Bible Church, Linn County Kansans for Life, sat on the Anderson County Hospital Board for 16 years, and the Board of the LifeCare Center in Ottawa for several years.

Dale was preceded in death by his parents; and siblings Virgie, Wilbur, Maxine, and his baby sister, Faye; and a granddaughter, Nicole Jaeger.

Dale is survived by his wife of 42 years and 12 days, Janice; son, Lonnie and wife, Jo Helen; daughter, Trish Gaynor and husband, Ron; daughter, Shayla Sprague and husband, Jody; daughter, Elaine Jaeger and husband, Erik; and son, Fred Johanning. Also surviving are grandchildren: Cory Gaynor, Joe Sprague (Nikki), Justin Sprague (Jenna), Preston Frazell (Kelli),

Brock Johanning (Carly), Blake Johanning (Molly), Dane Jaeger, Brenna Whittington, Natalie Jaeger (Sterling), and Cameron Johanning (Brooklynn); Great-grandkids Julianna, Shelby, Emory, Coralynn, Liam, Sam, Jagger, Maggi, Fisher, Maverick, Gunner, and Axel. Also surviving are his brothers, Ernest and Clyde.

Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, 2024, at the Blue Mound Bible Church. Burial will be in the Sunny Slope Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Schneider Funeral Home and Crematory, Mound City Chapel. Memorial contributions are suggested to Blue Mound Bible Church or The Gideons International.  Online condolences can be left at www.schneiderfunerals.com.