Katherine E. Sprague

Katherine Edna Sprague, 86, of Centralia, Kansas died October 1, 2026, at the Eastridge Nursing Facility where she had been a resident since 2016. She was born March 8, 1940, in Vermillion, Kansas, the daughter of Lois Katherine Sprague.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Vermillion Christian Church on Sunday, October 11th, at 2:00 p.m, in Vermillion.  Pastor Virgil Warren and Pastor Ora Martindale will officiate. 

Burial will follow in the Vermillion Cemetery. 

Katherine attended school in Vermillion graduating in 1958 from Vermillion High School. After graduation, Katherine worked at the sewing factory in Onaga, Ks and later worked as a nurse’s aide in Seneca, Kansas for a short period. Later in life, she cared for her mother, aunt and uncle prior to their deaths.

Katherine was a member of the former United Methodist Church in Vermillion and later attended the Vermillion Christian Church. Katherine was a member of the Mutual Improvement Club, which started the Vermillion Library.

Katherine loved to cook and had a large collection of recipes. She loved to read and do puzzles. She had many friends in Vermillion and visited them throughout the week. She enjoyed sending cards to those who were sick and, when able, would visit those who were homebound. Her greatest joy later in life was sending and receiving cards; she was often found reading old cards she had received for birthdays and Christmas. Katherine had an excellent memory for people’s names and birthday dates and she corresponded with many of her high school classmates as well as caregivers over the years. She cared about people and would frequently asked how someone was, if ill, or what was going on in Vermillion and always wanted to send them birthday, anniversary cards and often sent out get well cards to those in hospitals or care facilities.

In 2016, Katherine entered the Eastridge care facility after having home health care for several months. She had developed rheumatoid arthritis and eventually she became wheelchair bound and eventually bedridden.

While at Eastridge, Katherine made many friends and enjoyed most of the scheduled activities, with the Upper Room and midweek church service being her favorite. Many of the care home staff became good friends of Katherine's, and she wanted to know about their families, knew their names, and always asked about them. She watched the “Jeramiah” Christian Ministry daily and attended the care home church services regularly. Katherine shared her faith with all she knew and will be missed by many.