Las Vegas Sun

April 16, 2024

Hundreds attend funeral for designer Kate Spade

Kate Spade Funeral

Orlin Wagner / AP

Andy Spade, right, leaves his wife’s service at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Kansas City, Mo., Thursday, June 21, 2018.

Hundreds of mourners braved drizzling rain to attend the funeral for fashion designer Kate Spade in her hometown of Kansas City, Missouri.

Many of those attending the Thursday church service carried her iconic purses.

Her family released a statement shortly before the funeral began, saying her father had died the night before. The statement said 89-year-old Earl Brosnahan Jr. had been in failing health and was "heartbroken" after his daughter's suicide.

The 55-year-old mother was found dead in her New York City home on June 5. Her husband says she'd had depression and anxiety for years, and that she'd been seeing a doctor.

A high school classmate said Thursday that Spade was "incredibly kind" and had a memorable laugh.