Moapa Valley Progress, March 7, 2007. Submitted by Patricia A. Scott
Charles Wayne SPRAGUE, age 84, died February 27, 2007, in Pocatello, Idaho. He was born
September 25, 1922 in Kaolin, Nevada to Oliver and Betsey Lovisa LEAVITT SPRAGUE. He
married Helen WITTWER on October 1, 1958 in the St George Temple. She preceded him in
death on November 2, 1992. On June 1, 1944 he married Earline MEACHAM SMITH BUNKER in
Thatcher, Idaho.
Charles grew up in Kaolin (now covered by Lake Mead) and Overton, Nevada. He served in the
Marine Corps in the South Pacific during WWII. After the war, he served an Indian Mission
in New Mexico and Arizona. Later he worked as a school teacher in Utah and Nevada. He
raised hi family in Las Vegas, Nevada, moved to Logandale in 1994 and spent the last year
and a half in Grace, Idaho. Always faithful to his church, he served a mission with Helen
in Las Vegas and two missions with Earline in Northern California.
Survivors include his wife Earline of Grace, Idaho; six children: Ruth (Manuel) MARTINEZ
of Arad, Israel; Jerri (Gary) LAUB of Enterprise, UT; Janice (James) MITCHELL of Kentucky;
Richard (Patricia) SPRAGUE, (currently serving in Iraq); Verna (Jeffrey) THOMPSON of
Newport News, VA; Betsey (James) WEST of Iowa; step son LaGrande SMITH of Pocatello, ID;
27 grandchildren; many great grandchildren; one brother and four sisters: Leland
"Ben" Yvonne, Betty (Harry) PERKINS of Overton, NV; Mary PUTNAM of St George,
UT; Ann KIEHL of Oregon. He was preceded in death by one step son, Terry.
Funeral services were held Monday, March 5, 2007 at the Logandale LDS 2nd Ward Chapel.
Internment was in the Logandale Cemetery under the direction of Moapa Valley Mortuary.