This is a story of Carol Anne Jacoby (Sprague), a wonderful woman who was loved, is missed, and will always be cherished. She was an amazing wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend, and shopper for the “best deals”.

Carol’s story starts on November 9th, 1942, the first of three daughters born to Raymond and Zelma Sprague. Carol was born in Kansas City, Missouri, where she would spend her childhood, grow up, attend Southeast High School, make lifelong friends, and meet the love of her life. Carol and Lester had two weddings (an elopement at 18 that the parents did not know about and a traditional wedding soon after that was attended by many friends and family).

Les and Carol quickly started a family with the birth of their daughter Katherine Anne. After thirteen years of parenting, they decided it was finally time to add a second daughter to the family; Shellie Suzanne.

Carol began her career working at the Gas Service Company in Kansas City. She took her retirement after twenty successful years working at Southwestern Bell in Springfield, Mo. where she developed life-long friends that continue to meet each week for lunch. She worked hard, was a top sales person, gained multiple awards, and developed the skill to sell a ketchup popsicle to a lady in white gloves or a lamp to a genie.

Carol loved holidays, and used any excuse to organize a family get-together. It could be a birthday, holiday, or simply a sunny warm spring day. She would prepare weeks in advance for the event, spending hours cooking everyone’s favorite dishes.

She was the most positive person and self-less person that we knew, always putting others first. She was never one to complain, even on a tough day she would put a smile on her face and say, “It will be a better day tomorrow”.

Everyone knows that Carol loved to shop and could never resist a good deal. You may not know that she also loved spending time at the cabin, listening to Elvis, reading autobiographies, completing craft projects, traveling, planting flowers, picking fresh blueberries, writing in her journal or on various pieces of scrap paper, and talking on the phone to friends and family.

Carol’s grandchildren were her heart and joy. There is no denying how proud she was of them. Being with her family is what she enjoyed most of all. Loving and caring for her family was Carol’s focus, and in so many ways she was able to show that love to us. Les and Carol shared a genuine unconditional love for each other that could clearly be seen in their presence and the adoration shared between them.This is a wonderful legacy to keep and follow. The way she touched our lives will forever be in our hearts.

Loved ones that cleared the path for Carol are her parents Raymond and Zelma Sprague. Loved ones that will greatly miss Carol until they meet again are her husband of 57 years Lester H. Jacoby, her daughters Katherine Daume and Shellie Robertson, her sons-in-law Stephen Daume and Jason Robertson, her sisters Nancy Keopke (Earl, deceased) and Beverly Sue Lyman (Ed), her grandchildren Suzanne Blake Nunn (Jake), Preston and Kaylee Robertson, nieces Michelle Neugent (Ron) and Angela Gosserand (Pete), and nephews Jason Parker (Laura) and Ryan Keopke. Carol will be greatly missed by the “Friday Girls” at their weekly lunches, and the countless number of family and friends she has treasured throughout the years.

Family and Friends will gather at Greenlawn North Funeral Home, 3506 North National, Springfield, MO on Saturday December 2nd at 10:00am for her memorial service (Visitation will be available starting at 9:00 to 10 :00 a.m.before services). Interment will immediately follow at North Greenlawn Cemetery, with a Celebration at the Springfield Boathouse, 5324 S Kissick Avenue, from 1:00-3:00 to share laughs, memories, and many smiles.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made in Carol’s memory to Hannah’s Hope- Rosh Jenkins Memorial Fund. This local fund supports patients with glioblastoma and other types of brain cancers.

The family is deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support in many heart felt forms from too many people to name individually.