Obituary of G. Joseph Breen

The death of G. Joseph Breen of Ridgeway Street, Rothesay, NB, husband of Mary E. (Morey) Breen, occurred on Sunday, December 4, 2005 at the Saint John Regional Hospital. Born in Saint John, he was the son of the late Mark and Ada (Cormier) Breen. Joe was the father of John (Mary) Breen and Michael (Jeannie) Breen of Hampton, NB, and grandfather of Timothy, Jack, Gregory, Patrick, Matthew, Benjamin and David. Joe received his education at St. Vincent's Boys High School, St. Thomas University, St. Mary's University and U.N.B. He was on the faculty of St. Vincent's Boys High School and St. Malachy's High School and coached the students in football and hockey for many years. He was a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Rothesay, past president of Kennebecasis Lions Club; a certified member of American Contract Bridge and he was the director of duplicate bridge in Saint John for twenty-seven years. Joe was a member of Riverside Golf Club and the NB Teachers' Association. Joe goes into the historical sport pages of Saint John, remembered as one of the best baseball players ever produced in this city, but he also excelled in hockey, rugby and in later years, golf. For more than 25 years, he taught rugby and hockey teams the very meaning and importance of character and sportsmanship. His achievements in pro baseball, college football and pro hockey eventually saw him inducted into the Saint John Sports Hall of Fame and the NB Baseball Hall of Fame. In addition to his wife, Mary, sons, daughters-in-law and grandchildren, he is survived by three brothers, Tom (Chris) and Mark (Clair) of Saint John, and Harold of Fredericton, NB; five sisters, Mary (Donald) McGowan of Moncton, NB, Theresa Rigby of Knobliton, On, Margaret Cross of Rothesay, NB, Helen (Tom) Brideau of Rothesay, NB and Jean Osborne of Brockville, On; and several nieces and nephews. Joe was predeceased by brothers, Jim and Arthur; sisters, Vera and Christina Elward; and brother-in-law, John Osborne. Resting at Brenan's Select Community Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB, (506-634-7424), where visitation will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, December 6 & 7, 2005 from 2-4 and 7-9 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church on Thursday, December 8, 2005 at 12 Noon. Interment will take place in St. Joseph's Cemetery. Remembrances may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.