Heartbroken Father of Kate Spade Passes Away Night Before His Daughter's Funeral
The death of famous designer Kate Spade truly rattled the fashion world. Upon learning of her passing, the company which bore her name uploaded a somber image to its Instagram account that read, “We honor all the beauty [Kate] brought into this world.”
Her death has impacted the world; an incredibly talented and successful individual who had died an entirely preventable death.
Brother-in-law David Spade gave $100,000 to the National Alliance on Mental Illness and the Kate Spade company pledged $1,000,000 to mental health foundations.
The family’s sadness was only starting, though. 55-year-old Kate Spade was laid to rest in Kansas City, Missouri, on June 21, and the night before her burial, her 89-year-old father passed away.
According to a statement, Earl F. Brosnahan Jr.’s health had been slipping for some time. Yet it seemed as though the untimely death of daughter hastened his demise.
A Navy veteran, Brosnahan lived and died in his hometown of Kansas City. He had worked in his family’s construction business and even helmed the Midwest Heavy Construction Association.
His marriage to his first wife June Therese Mullen produced six children, of which Kate was the second to last. He had served as a founding member for a local club and helped run it for five decades.
His wife Sandy Palmer, married in 1992, was at his bedside when he passed away.
His obituary also stated, “He was especially proud of his wife, children, and grandchildren.” And granddaughter Rachel Brosnahan, who stars in the Amazon Prime television series “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” posted a moving message about him to her Instagram account.
“He was a man of few words, but when he spoke a whole room leaned in,” she said. “He was tough as nails, but gentle as can be, stubborn as a mule, and had a wicked sense of humor.”
“He will be deeply, deeply missed. I’d like to think that he and Katy are out there somewhere singing an off key rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ and sharing a pint.”
In an earlier post, Brosnahan had eulogized her aunt as well, describing her as having “a light that words can’t capture but touched everyone she came into contact with.”
She concluded by saying, “Hug your loved ones extra tight today.”
We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves, Rachel. We also hope that the Brosnahan and Spade families can find a measure of peace in this difficult time.
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