MARY ELIZABETH SPRAGUE
Sprague, Mary Elizabeth, 94, passed away at home on Thursday, February 25, 2016 in Brandenburg, Kentucky surrounded by her immediate family. Mary was born Oct 2, 1921 in Oil City, PA to Charles and Martha Balli Thayer, andshe grew up in Spruce, Michigan. She and graduated from Michigan State University in 1943, with a BA in Home Economics. She worked from 1943 to 1945 as a drafts person at Cadillac Motor Company detailing Rolls Royce airplane engine drawings during WWII. She moved to Midland, MI in 1945 to work for Dow Corning Corporation as a chemist, where she met her future husband Edward, a chemical engineer. They married in 1951 and she continued to work until 1952 when she retired to raise a family.
Her husband’s career brought location moves to Greensboro, NC; Trumbull, CT; Elizabethtown, KY; Campinas, Brazil SA; and finally back to Midland Michigan in 1980. After family retirement in 1987, Mary and Ed returned to live in Brandenburg, KY. Mary and Ed’s Their love of travel, appreciation of music, art and theatre, and inspiration found thrufrom nature and camping formed the basis of a rich and adventurous family life.
Creative and talented, she made clothes for her children when they were young, created tapestries and needlepoint artwork, made shadowbox art from vacation mementos, and played a major role in the design of three of the houses that the family built to live in over the years. Full of enthusiasm and energy, she always looked for – and found – a way to contribute to the lives of her friends and family. Talented both artistically and technically, her boundless energy, imagination and determination added to lives of all she knew, and many that never met her.
Mary’s most lasting contribution is the Elizabethtown Greenbelt trail system, founded in 1972 as a Women’s Club project. In 1974, Greenspace Inc. was formed as a non-profit organization to manage the Greenbelt. The Greenbelt has since grown to over 20 miles of scenic nature trails, one of the first such systems in Kentucky. In 1974, Greenspace Inc, was formed as a non-profit organization to manage the Greenbelt. In 1987, Mary and Ed rejoined Greenspace and have continued to serve as board members.
Mary is survived by her husband of 65 years, Edward. Other survivors include daughters Susan McCloy (Stuart), and Barbara Cannon (Scott) and sons Chuck (Dianne) and Bill (Julee), four grandchildren Sarah and Will McCloy, Anna and Andrew Cannon and one step-great-grandson Aidan.
There will be no visitation. The funeral will be private. A memorial celebration of life will be held at a future date. Memorial contributions may go to Greenspace, Inc. PO Box 550 Elizabethtown, KY 42702 – 0550, or Hosparus of Central Kentucky.
Arrangements by Manakee Funeral Home of Elizabethtown, KY.
MARY ELIZABETH SPRAGUE
Mary Elizabeth Sprague, 94, passed away at home on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2016, in Brandenburg, Ky., surrounded by her immediate family. Mary was born Oct 2, 1921, in Oil City, Pa., to Charles and Martha Balli Thayer, and she grew up in Spruce, Mich. She and graduated from Michigan State University in 1943, with a BA in Home Economics. She worked from 1943 to 1945 as a drafts person at Cadillac Motor Company detailing Rolls Royce airplane engine drawings during WWII. She moved to Midland, Mich., in 1945 to work for Dow Corning Corporation as a chemist, where she met her future husband Edward, a chemical engineer. They married in 1951 and she continued to work until 1952 when she retired to raise a family.
Her husband’s career brought location moves to Greensboro, N.C.; Trumbull, Conn.; Elizabethtown, Ky.; Campinas, Brazil, SA; and finally back to Midland Mich. in 1980. After family retirement in 1987, Mary and Ed returned to live in Brandenburg, Ky., Mary and Ed’s Their love of travel, appreciation of music, art and theatre, and inspiration found through nature and camping formed the basis of a rich and adventurous family life.
Creative and talented, she made clothes for her children when they were young, created tapestries and needlepoint artwork, made shadowbox art from vacation mementos, and played a major role in the design of three of the houses that the family built to live in over the years. Full of enthusiasm and energy, she always looked for – and found – a way to contribute to the lives of her friends and family. Talented both artistically and technically, her boundless energy, imagination and determination added to lives of all she knew, and many that never met her.
Mary’s most lasting contribution is the Elizabethtown Greenbelt trail system, founded in 1972 as a Women’s Club project. In 1974, Greenspace Inc. was formed as a nonprofit organization to manage the Greenbelt. The Greenbelt has since grown to over 20 miles of scenic nature trails, one of the first such systems in Kentucky. In 1974, Greenspace Inc, was formed as a non-profit organization to manage the Greenbelt. In 1987, Mary and Ed rejoined Greenspace and have continued to serve as board members.
Mary is survived by her husband of 65 years, Edward. Other survivors include daughters Susan McCloy (Stuart), and Barbara Cannon (Scott) and sons Chuck (Dianne) and Bill (Julee), four grandchildren Sarah and Will McCloy, Anna and Andrew Cannon and one step-great-grandson Aidan.
There will be no visitation. The funeral will be private. A memorial celebration of life will be held at a future date. Memorial contributions may go to Greenspace, Inc. PO Box 550 Elizabethtown, KY 42702 – 0550, or Hosparus of Central Kentucky.
Arrangements by Manakee Funeral Home of Elizabethtown, Ky.