Everett Warren Sprague

Everett W. Sprague, our Dad, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather, passed away this last Wednesday, September 14. How old was he? ""Old enough"", he would tell you with that familiar smile and mischievous twinkle in his eye. Actually, he was 99 and going on a 100 years old and was very proud of his age. Everett was born on April 30 , 1912 to a Methodist preacher, Arthur, and his devoted wife Myra in Salt Fork, Oklahoma. That is when Everett first got people smiling and feeling good about themselves. He would remind us that was the year of the Titanic. He would eventually be joined by three younger sisters, Catherine, Maxine and Hazel, as his family moved to serve different churches in Oklahoma and Nebraska and Arthur became a Nazarene minister. Everett grew up in a powerful, wonderful and loving Christian family where he established his never-ending, strong, and devoted love of God and his fellow man. Let's not forget that, though he was a devoted son and brother, he was a ""preacher's kid"" with a smile and mischievous twinkle in his eye. At an early age, he came to love music, which would be the focus of his passion and professional life for his entire life. At the age of 19 in the midst of the Depression, he formed and directed a community band in his hometown of Broadwater, Nebraska. This band performed professional concerts for the town and surrounding towns. Though finances would not allow him to finish, he studied music in college for two years before responding to a job opportunity to work in a music store in Fargo, North Dakota. It was there that he met the love of his life, Clarice Nelson, at a dance. That was the beginning of many dances that would last a lifetime. They were married in Chicago as he entered the Army Air Corps to serve his country in World War II. They were transferred soon to Salt Lake City where he was assigned to what would eventually become the Air Force Band. Just before war's end, his son Gene was born. After his honorable discharge at war's end , the family moved to Elkhart, Indiana in response to an opportunity to work in the manufacture of flutes. While in Elkhart, his daughter Shirlie was born. To move his family closer to his wife's family, he returned to the music store in Fargo where he repaired flutes and other band instruments and continued to dance. Then followed a move to Billings, Montana where he joined a music store to sell pianos, organs and band instruments and where his youngest daughter, Janeen, was born. There he continued to dance. After many successful years there, Clarice became ill and they moved to Thornton, Colorado for her treatment. He lost his Clarice in August of 1966. (He will be buried next to her at Crownhill Cemetery in Denver.) Gene and Shirlie went off to college, married and started families while Dad parented Janeen from the age of 10 as a single parent. Everett continued to work in music, including becoming an expert piano tuner. He also joined a dance studio where he became an accomplished ballroom dancer. He danced in Colorado ballroom exhibitions until the age of 95. He was the man we all came home to see, admire, and share stories and laughs. Through the years, he made us laugh, he gave us strength, and he taught us by example. Most importantly, we are proud to call him our father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to all he met. His children Gene Sprague and his wife Pam, Shirlie Hiers and her husband Bob, and Janeen McKee and her husband Forrest continue to love him. His grandchildren are Shane Sprague, Jim and Kevin Landers, Dawn Adamek, Austin and Ross Hiers, and Hillary Kanazin. His 13 great grandchildren are Shalynn and Kaylee Sprague; Ryan and Ricky Landers; Joshua and Sarah Adamek; Brady, Kendyll, and Reagan Landers; Katya Kanazin;and Cameron, Madison and Ashley Hiers. Funeral Service, Monday, September 19, 2011, 11:00AM, Westminster Church of the Nazarene, 3501 West 104th Avenue, Westminster, Colorado. Interment, Monday September 19, 2011, 2:00PM, Crown Hill Cemetery, 7777 West 29th Avenue, Denver, Colorado. Please share your memories of Everett and condolences with his family by selecting the ""Sign Guestbook"" option below.