F. Dale Sprague passed away on Monday, August 9, 2021 at his home in St. Joseph, Missouri at the age of 92.
Dale was born in Kansas City, Missouri October 9, 1928 and grew up in Hemple, Missouri. He went to a one room schoolhouse in Hemple, Missouri, and graduated from Gower, Missouri. At the age of 13 he was employed by the WPA to place stone on the Willow Mats to hold the banks on the Missouri River while still in school.
In 1946 after graduating from Gower, he and his brother rode a Harley Davidson motorcycle to Seattle, WA. He joined the Merchant Marines and made two trips on a Liberty Ship to Japan. Then he came back to Goodland, KA and work the wheat harvest.
Dale went back to Hemple and met his future wife Roma Younger from Easton and they were married on June 24, 1950 and moved to St. Joseph, Missouri.
In 1950 he and his brother set up a sawmill operation. He then formed in 1952 Sprague Construction, Inc., building new homes and development ground in the St. Joseph area. Dale had concrete form for pouring basements and later formed Midwest Cabinets selling building supplies. The age of 89 he built and sold his last home.
Dale has served as President of the Home Builders Association and two years as President of St. Joseph Board of Realtors. He served on the committee that formed the Multi-List Service.
He is a past member of the Blue Lodge, York Rite and Moila Temple. Dale was a member of the Wrecking Crew.
Each fall, for many years, he met with a group of men and would go deer hunting in Wyoming. He liked to fish, worked on antique tractors, and made many trips to Las Vegas, playing in the Keno Tournaments.
Dale was preceded in death by his son, David Sprague; grandson, Todd Fulton; parents, Ocle A. and Ethel Marie (Gregory) Sprague; four brothers, Gale Sprague (Ursula), both deceased, Bobby Sprague (Mary Ann) Sprague, both deceased, Jackie (Sara) Sprague, both deceased, Larry Sprague (Lydia), both deceased.
Surviving, his wife, Roma of he home; son, Billy W. Sprague, Tampa, Florida; daughter, Cheryl L. Fulton (Terry), St. Joseph, MO; grandchildren, Angela Rodriguez (Ray), Tampa, FL, Rena Hawkins (Jason), Smithville, MO, Cody Sprague (Megan), Grand Island, NE, Chad Fulton (Angela), Savannah, MO, Travis Fulton, Savannah, MO, Stacy Sprague, Kansas City, Missouri, D.J. Sprague, St. Joseph, MO, Daniel Sprague (Hannah), Japan; 20 grandchildren; 3 great-great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews.
Farewell Services and Public Livestream 10:00 A.M. Monday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. Interment Memorial Park Cemetery. The family will gather with friends 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Sunday, Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Moila Shrine Children’s Hospital or a charity of the donor’s choice. Online guest book and obituary at www.meierhoffer.com.
