Barbara H Breen

Barbara Helen Breen, age 76, passed away peacefully on December 22nd, with her loving family by her side.  Born in Duluth, MN, on October 1, 1949, to Gordon and Florence Breen, Barbara grew up in a close-knit family where her childhood was filled with camping adventures, travel, and joyful gatherings with her lively extended family. She graduated from Denfeld High School in 1967.

Barbara was a devoted mother to her two children, always proud to share their accomplishments with others. She had a passion for refinishing antique furniture, loved classic movies, and was an avid gardener—her green thumb was truly remarkable.

One of Barbara’s proudest achievements was her journey to sobriety. After becoming sober in 1988, she returned to college as a non-traditional student, earning her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin, Superior. She went on to become a Chemical Dependency Counselor, dedicating her life to helping others find hope and healing. In 1997, she was honored as Counselor of the Year by the Minnesota Association of Resources for Recovery and Chemical Health. Helping others on their path to sobriety was her greatest passion, and she helped so many.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Florence and Gordon Breen; her brother, Dennis Breen; her sister, Janet Bester; and her fiancé, Mark Condon.

Barbara is survived by her children, Cory Craven and Amanda (Matt) Oja; and her nieces, Amy (Mark) Lisowski, Kallie (Rob) Theisen, and Roxanne (Josh) Ebel.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Riverhill Assisted Living for their dedicated care and compassion, and to the hospice staff at Moments, whose kindness and support were a true blessing. All of these amazing care givers are quite possibly real-life angels on earth and the family of Barb is forever grateful.

A private family service will be held in the spring to honor Barbara’s life.