December 30, 2025

Linn County News

Published December 31, 2025

Lonnie Dale Sprague, age 71, of Kincaid, Kan., passed away on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.

Lonnie was born on Nov. 15, 1954, in Iola, Kan., the first of three children born to Dale and Fern (Huggins) Sprague. He grew up on the family farm near Lone Elm, Kan., attending Lone Elm Grade School and Crest Junior High before graduating from Crest High School with the Class of 1973. 

During his high school years, Lonnie was active in football and FFA. A lifelong hard worker, Lonnie began his days pulling weeds in the soybean fields and helping his father farm before eventually farming for himself. He had a deep passion for raising cattle, maintaining his own herd for many years and later working alongside his son, Joe.

On Nov. 30, 1974, Lonnie married his high school sweetheart, Jo Helen Harris, in Kincaid. Their union was blessed with two sons, Joe and Justin. Lonnie was a devoted husband and father who was always present for his boys, whether he was coaching their baseball teams or engaging in late-night card games. He was known for teaching valuable, practical life lessons-from the importance of properly setting a parking brake to the best way not to scratch a bull’s head.

In 1982, Lonnie joined the Board of Directors for Farmers State Bank. He began working alongside his father at the bank in 1987, serving the Blue Mound and Garnett communities until his retirement as Executive Vice President in 2022. Lonnie was a vital part of the local agricultural community, well-known for his ability to relate to and connect with his customers. He also served on the Anderson County Hospital Board of Trustees from 2000 to 2022, where he took pride in seeing the hospital grow and the current facility built.

Lonnie was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing and hunting. He cherished traveling to trout fish in Branson and took memorable trips to Alaska with friends, as well as many family vacations throughout the United States. In recent years, he reconnected with a hobby from his youth and became an accomplished trap shooter, winning several competitions as a member of the Lone Tree Gun Club. Lonnie and Jo Helen also enjoyed many shared activities, from co-ed volleyball to ballroom dancing lessons.

Grandpa Lonnie adored his grandchildren, and they meant the world to him. He was a constant fixture at their activities, always there to support and spoil them. Many cherished hours were spent with family checking cattle or driving country roads in hopes of spotting deer or other wildlife. Beyond his family, Lonnie was a dedicated neighbor, always willing to help with chores or drive a friend to a doctor’s appointment.

Lonnie was preceded in death by his father, Dale Sprague; his mother, Fern Wolken and her husband, John; his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Sam and Evelyn Harris; and his brother-in-law, Steve Herynk.

He is survived by his wife, Jo Helen Sprague, of the home; two sons, Joe Sprague and wife Nikki, and Justin Sprague and wife Jenna; three grandchildren, Julianna, Shelby, and Sam; two sisters, Trish Gaynor and husband Ron, and Shayla Sprague; step mother, Janice Sprague; sister-in-law, Sandra Herynk; and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel in Garnett, Kansas. Burial will follow in the Kincaid Cemetery. Lonnie’s family will greet friends from 3 to 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, at the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kincaid-Selma Community Church or to the Kincaid Fair Association and left in care of the funeral home. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.feuerbornfuneral.com.