The father of late fashion designer Kate Spade has died just over two weeks after the suicide of his daughter, the family said on Thursday. He died on the eve of his daughter’s funeral. The family released a statement on Thursday saying Earl Brosnahan Jr. died Wednesday night at his home in Kansas City, Missouri. He was 89 years old and was in failing health, said the family.

The statement was released as the funeral began for his daughter on Thursday afternoon at church in Kansas City, her hometown. The statement says he was ‘heartbroken over the recent death of his beloved daughter.’ Kate Spade, 55, one of his six children, was found dead after committing suicide in her New York apartment on June 5. Her husband Andy Spade says she suffered from depression and anxiety for more than 15 years but there had been no indication that she would take her own life.

Kate Spade’s widow Andy Spade along with his actor brother David and hundreds more gathered for the fashion designer’s funeral – just hours after the death of her father. The mourners arrived for the funeral service on Thursday afternoon at the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Redemptorist Church in Kansas City with many carrying Kate Spade iconic handbags. During the service, Andy professed his ‘deep love’ for the designer. Kate also left a suicide note for her 13-year-old daughter.

Mourners at Kate’s funeral paused for a moment’s silence and offered prayers in honour of her father, Earl Brosnahan Jr. At the time of his passing he was at home surrounded by family, as reported in Daily Mail. Brosnahan worked in his family’s construction business. He is survived by his wife Sandy, five children and eight grandchildren.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 22, 2018 04:00 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).