Lorraine M. Gracey

A Celebration of Life Service for Lorraine M. (Sprague) Gracey will be held at the Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church in Holdrege, Nebraska on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. with Pastor Ted Carnahan and Chaplain DeWane Dow officiating. Inurnment will follow at the Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege.

Lorraine Margaret (Sprague) Gracey, 90 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Wednesday, June 8, 2016 at the Christian Homes Care Community in Holdrege. Lorraine was born on January 20, 1926 in Franklin County, Nebraska, one of four children and a twin born to George Fred Frank and Jennie Margaret (Harms) Schubert. She received her primary education from District #4 Country School in Franklin County and later attended Wilcox High School, graduating with the class of 1943.

On October 20, 1944, Lorraine was united in marriage to Bill Louis Sprague in Stuttgart, Kansas and to this union five children were born: Mary Jean, Gary Lynn, Sue Ann, Carie Beth and Amy Marie. The family made their home in Holdrege, where Lorraine focused her efforts on raising the children. Lorraine later began a career caring for others, first working as a Nurse's Aide at Brewster Clinic for 19 years, and later working at Phelps Memorial Health Center in the Physical Therapy Department for 18 years. After retirement, Lorraine worked for the Holdrege Public School Systems at Franklin Elementary as a Dietary Aide.

Bill preceded her in death on February 19, 1971.

On January 6, 1973, she was united in marriage to Jim Gracey at Bethel Lutheran Church in Holdrege. With this marriage, Jim and Lorraine blended two families. They enjoyed thirty-six years of marriage. Together they enjoyed spending time at Red Feather Lakes in Colorado, fishing and cranking ice cream. Jim preceded her in death in 2009. Lorraine began to make her home at Christian Homes – Assisted Living in January of 2013, when her health began to fail.

Lorraine enjoyed gardening, refinishing furniture and will be fondly remembered for her pies. She was an excellent quilter and enjoyed making quilts for all of her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and her friends and family. She was a member of the Spirit of Grace Lutheran Church.

Lorraine was preceded in death by her parents; both husbands; sisters, Elaine Anna Johnson and husband, Kermit and Evon J. Dill and husband, Hilbert and; brother, Dwaine A. Schubert and first wife, Jody.

She leaves to celebrate her life; her children: Mary Root and her husband, Earl of Holdrege, Gary Sprague and his wife, Jody of Ambler, Pennsylvania, Sue Long and her husband, Paul of Denver, Colorado, Carie Lynch and her husband , Dean of Holdrege and Amy Whittier of Lakewood, Colorado; step-children: Susan Davidson and her husband, Larry of Union City, California and Mike Gracey of Holyoke, Colorado; 17 grandchildren; many great-grandchildren; sisters-in-law: Maxine Beedle of Holdrege, Cheri Schubert of Union, Oregon, JoAnn Gracey of Ainsworth, Nebraska, Evelyn Gracey of Arnold, Nebraska and Kay Gracey of Bassett, Nebraska; and a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A memorial book signing will be held on Tuesday, June 14, 2016 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with the family greeting friends from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska.

A memorial has been established in Lorraine's memory and kindly suggested to the Phelps County Community Foundation.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.