John A. BREEN

BREEN, HARRIS, BAUM, ABEL, TURNER, FRAILEY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/12/2007 at 23:43:25

Blue Earth - John A. Breen, age 88, formerly of Blue Earth, MN died of cancer on Monday, January 1, 2001, at Belmond Care Center, Belmond, Iowa. Visitation was held from 5:00 to 8:00 PM Thursday, January 4, 2001, with a prayer service at 7:30 PM at Patton Funeral Home in Blue Earth. Services were held on Friday, January 5, 2001, at 11:00 AM at SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Blue Earth with Father John Ozbun officiating. Burial followed at Calvary Cemetery, also in Blue Earth. John was born September 16, 1912, in Vail, IA, to John J. & Sarah (Turner) Breen. John was raised and educated in Truman graduating in 1931. He farmed briefly before serving four years in the Civil Conservation Corps near McGregor. He was married to Marian E. Frailey on September 16, 1937. He moved to Fairmont and started working for Montgomery Wards, which lead him to Pipestone and later to Moline, IL. In 1946 he moved to Monmouth, IL where he managed two stores for the Brown-Lynch-Scott Hardware Co. In 1949 he came to Blue Earth where he purchased the Western Auto Store, which soon became the Breen Our Own Hardware Store. The store, now called Breen's True Value, still continues on Blue Earth's main street and is the longest operating business on main street. John retired from the store in 1989. He was a longtime member of the SS Peter & Paul Catholic Church where he was active in the Knights of Columbus for over 50 years, serving as a Grand Knight. He also served on the Blue Earth Chamber of Commerce, Toastmasters, United Hands Hospice - where he was a board member and the Blue Earth Light & Water Board for many years. He had also presented the "Barter Time" radio program on KBEW radio for many years. John is survived by his wife: Marian of Belmond, IA, son: John (Sue) Breen of New Brighton, Ken (Marlys) Breen of Blue Earth, daughter: Sharon (Don) Baum of Belmond, Debra (DuWayne) Abel of Belmond, 9 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Loretta Harris.

Source unknown