The father of the late fashion designer Kate Spade died “heartbroken” on the eve of her funeral, her family has said.

In a statement, the family said Earl Brosnahan Jr died on Wednesday evening at his home in Kansas City, Missouri.

The 89-year-old, who was said to be in failing health, was “heartbroken over the recent death of his beloved daughter,” his family added.

Mr Brosnahan’s death was announced as his daughter’s funeral began on Thursday afternoon at a church in Kansas City, her hometown.

A high school classmate attending the service said Ms Spade was “incredibly kind” and had a memorable laugh.

Admirers of the designer also formed part of the crowd, many of whom were wearing accessories designed by Ms Spade.

The 55-year-old mother was found at her home in New York City on 5 June after taking her own life.

Her husband and business partner, Andy Spade, said she suffered from depression and anxiety for years but had been regularly seeing a doctor and taking medication.

Ms Spade was working as an accessories editor at Mademoiselle magazine when she launched her handbag company with her husband in 1993.

She went on to win multiple awards from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, and was named a “giant of design” by House Beautiful magazine.

She walked away from her company in 2007, a year after it was acquired from the Neiman Marcus Group for $125m by the company then known as Liz Claiborne Inc.

Coach, now known as Tapestry, bought the Kate Spade brand last year for $2.4bn (£1.8bn).

Kate Spade: American fashion designer Show all 12 1 /12 Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade poses with handbags and shoes from her 2004 next collection in New York. AP Kate Spade: American fashion designer Designer Kate Spade inside her New York flagship store on May 28, 1996. Rex Features Kate Spade: American fashion designer A view of backstage at the Kate Spade presentation during New York Fashion Week: The Shows on February 9, 2018. Getty/New York Fashion Week: The Shows Kate Spade: American fashion designer Andy Spade and Kate Spade at Karlie Kloss and Warby Parker Collaboration launch dinner, Fleurs Bella, New York in 2014. Rex Features Kate Spade: American fashion designer A model poses at the Kate Spade New York fall 2012 presentation during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Getty Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade New York "Housewarming" in celebration of the brand's home pop-up shop at Kate Spade New York Home Pop-Up Shop on March 22, 2016. Getty/Kate Spade New York Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade leaving The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute Gala in 2007 in New York City. Getty Images North America Kate Spade: American fashion designer Designer Kate Spade at an event with handbags of her own design in New York, 1998. Rex Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade and Jack Spade Spring Accessory Collection Breakfast at the Kate Spade flagship store, September 14, 2006 in New York City. Getty Images Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade and Michael Kors pose at the CFDA hosted viewing of MOMA's "Fashioning Fiction in Photography Since 1990" April 22, 2004 in Queens, New York. Getty Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade with a handbag of her own design in 1998 in New York. Rex Features Kate Spade: American fashion designer Kate Spade arrives at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards in New York on June 2, 2003. Reuters

The couple had recently started a new handbag company, Frances Valentine.

Mr Spade said he and his wife had been living separately in the 10 months before her death but saw each other or spoke every day.

He said they were not legally separated and never discussed divorce.

On Wednesday, Kate Spade New York announced plans to donate $1m (£750,000) to support suicide prevention and mental health awareness causes in tribute to the company's late founder.