1961
Michael
2024
Michael E. Breen
May 11, 1961 — December 2, 2024
Michael Breen Obituary
It is with great sadness that the family of Michael Edward Breen, of Chaplin CT, is announcing his unexpected and untimely passing on December 2, 2024, at the age of 63. Michael was born on May 11, 1961, to Edward Breen and Doris (Fontaine) Breen, of Columbia CT. Completing life’s circle, Michael departed this life while he and his beloved dogs were staying with his parents in his childhood home.
Michael grew up in in Columbia, attended Porter Elementary School, and then Windham High School, in Willimantic, CT, graduating in 1979. Mike’s childhood was happy. He enjoyed school and played sports, including baseball and hockey. He was especially fond of his family’s dogs, Blackie and Beauty. Mike always had a soft heart, so his parents were not surprised when as a young adult, Mike came home from work one night with a wounded deer in the back of his Jeep! Mike also enjoyed summers at Green Hill Beach, on the South Shore of Rhode Island. Throughout his life, every summer he’d return to his family’s little green cottage to breathe in a healthy amount of salt air, feel the warm sand between his toes, and fall asleep to the sound of breakers on the shore.
Mike was employed in the automotive industry for the majority of his working years, including in sales, and in parts delivery. Mike was very much a “hands-on” kind of guy, and most of all, he enjoyed restoring a variety of engines, including those of by-gone eras. He never met a small internal-combustion engine he couldn’t get running, or a generator he couldn’t convince to generate! His skills weren’t limited to mechanics, however. Mike was a Jack-of-All-Trades. Tackling a much larger project, with his parents as his support crew, Mike constructed his house (a log cabin!) in Chaplin, including the plumbing, wiring and roofing.
In keeping with his hands-on nature, another longstanding passion of Michael’s was music. This was evident early in his life, when as a preschooler, he was able to play simple songs by ear on toy xylophones. He picked up his first real instrument - a saxophone - in fourth grade at Porter School, and never put it down. Mike went on to become proficient on many instruments. He played in community ensembles all his life, including the Willimantic Concert Band, where he was a respected musician and valued participant.
Michael is survived by his parents, Ed and Doris Breen, of Columbia CT. Mike enjoyed life, and took pleasure in simple things – well-played music, smooth running engines, and smiling dogs. Our deepest wish is that he is at peace and content. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 10:00 AM, followed immediately by a Memorial Service at 10:30 AM, at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St., Willimantic, CT 06226.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Michael’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Michael E. Breen, please visit our floral store.
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It is with great sadness that the family of Michael Edward Breen, of Chaplin CT, is announcing his unexpected and untimely passing on December 2, 2024, at the age of 63. Michael was born on May 11, 1961, to Edward Breen and Doris (Fontaine) Breen, of Columbia CT. Completing life’s circle, Michael departed this life while he and his beloved dogs were staying with his parents in his childhood home.
Michael grew up in in Columbia, attended Porter Elementary School, and then Windham High School, in Willimantic, CT, graduating in 1979. Mike’s childhood was happy. He enjoyed school and played sports, including baseball and hockey. He was especially fond of his family’s dogs, Blackie and Beauty. Mike always had a soft heart, so his parents were not surprised when as a young adult, Mike came home from work one night with a wounded deer in the back of his Jeep! Mike also enjoyed summers at Green Hill Beach, on the South Shore of Rhode Island. Throughout his life, every summer he’d return to his family’s little green cottage to breathe in a healthy amount of salt air, feel the warm sand between his toes, and fall asleep to the sound of breakers on the shore.
Mike was employed in the automotive industry for the majority of his working years, including in sales, and in parts delivery. Mike was very much a “hands-on” kind of guy, and most of all, he enjoyed restoring a variety of engines, including those of by-gone eras. He never met a small internal-combustion engine he couldn’t get running, or a generator he couldn’t convince to generate! His skills weren’t limited to mechanics, however. Mike was a Jack-of-All-Trades. Tackling a much larger project, with his parents as his support crew, Mike constructed his house (a log cabin!) in Chaplin, including the plumbing, wiring and roofing.
In keeping with his hands-on nature, another longstanding passion of Michael’s was music. This was evident early in his life, when as a preschooler, he was able to play simple songs by ear on toy xylophones. He picked up his first real instrument - a saxophone - in fourth grade at Porter School, and never put it down. Mike went on to become proficient on many instruments. He played in community ensembles all his life, including the Willimantic Concert Band, where he was a respected musician and valued participant.
Michael is survived by his parents, Ed and Doris Breen, of Columbia CT. Mike enjoyed life, and took pleasure in simple things – well-played music, smooth running engines, and smiling dogs. Our deepest wish is that he is at peace and content. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 19, 2024, at 10:00 AM, followed immediately by a Memorial Service at 10:30 AM, at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St., Willimantic, CT 06226.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Michael’s memory may be made to a charity of your choice.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Michael E. Breen, please visit our floral store.
Read More
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Michael E. Breen, please visit our flower store.
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