RAPID CITYJohn L. Sprague, 39, passed away at Rapid City Regional Hospital on Thursday, January 22, 2009. John was born on February 26, 1969, in San Antonio, TX to James L. and Sharron L. (Clayton) Sprague. He grew up in a Air Force family, attending schools in England, California, Colorado, Stevens High School in Rapid City, and Falcon, CO. He transferred during his senior year from Stevens and graduated from Falcon High School in 1987. He attended college at Colorado Mountain College in Leadville, CO, and attained an Associates Degree in Outdoor Recreation. He continued his education at the University of Idaho for a year in Moscow, ID. He spent his summers working for the U. S. Forest Service maintaining trails in Colorado, Idaho and the Black Hills. He then moved to Rapid City, where he was employed at Mileage Plus, SoDak Gaming, Spiegels, and for the past 11 years, worked at GE Finance (formerly Green Tree and Conseco) where he was currently a front line manager. John enjoyed hiking, mountain climbing (climbing several of the 14s in Colorado, skiing and playing poker in Deadwood. He also enjoyed gun trading and target shooting. John and a group of his friends specialized in gun trading. He attended many gun shows and marksmanship instruction schools, where he met many friends throughout the west that he enjoyed visiting. He particularly enjoyed camping with his friends from Gen Tech near Fairburn, where they would practice their target shooting. John also participated in many marksmanship contests, liked to travel and go on cruises with his parents. Grateful for having shared his life are his parents, Jim and Sharron Sprague, Rapid City; a brother and his special friend, Jim Sprague and Jody Clarke, Yankton; a special cousin, Sarah Holman, Glendale, Heights, IL; a life-long friend, Mike Faulk, Rapid City; an uncle, Jerry Sprague, Quincy, IL; his aunts, Connie Womeldorff, Spavinaw, OK, Evelyn Taylor, Glendale Heights and Marcille Clayton, Yukon, OK, and 7 cousins. He was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents. Visitation will be from 1 until 3 p.m. on Sunday at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. The funeral service will be at 1:30 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 26, at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home.