Designer’s heartbroken dad dies on eve of her funeral
THE heartbroken father of fashion designer Kate Spade died on the eve of her funeral, two weeks after she was found hanged in her flat.
As her memorial service began on Thursday, Kate’s family confirmed that 89-year-old Earl Brosnahan – known to friends and family as Frank – had died the previous evening.
In a statement they described the US Navy veteran and father-of-six as a “great lover of his two Yorkshire terriers” who was “especially proud of his wife, children and grandchildren”.
The statement said: “He had been in failing health of late and was heartbroken over the recent death of his beloved daughter. He was at home and surrounded by family at the time of his passing.”
Andy Spade, Kate’s husband of 24 years, and her actor brother-in-law David were among mourners at the church service in Kansas City, Missouri.
The priest who gave the mass, Father Donald Farnan, said the grieving widower delivered an emotional speech during the service.
Father Farnan said: “Her husband just shared a little about how they met, their love story and how she was a great person. “He expressed his deep love for her.” The congregation reportedly sang The First Noel in tribute to Kate’s middle name “Noel” and her Christmas Eve birthday.
Her favourite song, John Imagine, was also played.
Tribute
Lennon’s
The order of service read: “All of her life Katy was thrilled to be a Christmas Eve baby. We welcome her home with a song that celebrates those two facets of her legacy.”
Many women at the service carried handbags designed by her and her actress niece Rachel Brosnahan arrived with other family members wearing bright outfits as a tribute to the 55-year-old designer’s love of colour.
The cover of the funeral programme included a picture of Kate kissing her daughter taken when Beatrice, now 13, was a toddler.
The designer was found dead by her housekeeper on June 5 in an apparent suicide. Speaking the following day, her father said she would have been happy to know that something good might come from the discussion of mental health that was sparked by her death.
He said: “One thing we feel is that any talk that they do that helps somebody else, Katy would have liked that.
“She was always giving and charitable. If that helped anybody avoid anything – fine, she’d be delighted.”