Obituaries 15 May 2017

Richard "Dick" Francis Breitbach dies at 87

Richard "Dick" Francis Breitbach, age 87, of New Hampton, died Thursday, May 11, 2017, at the New Hampton Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, after a brief illness.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, at Holy Family Parish in New Hampton with Rev. Brian Dellaert celebrating the Mass. Interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery with Richard Kolbet, Joel Knutson, Alex Severson, Nathan Breitbach, Ryan Breitbach, Connor Hurley, Cole Hurley and Jayden Harrold serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Robyn Kolbet, Michelle Severson, Victoria Knutson, Melinda Knutson, Brittany Appelgate, Anna Hurley, Ainsley Harrold and Neve Hurley.Friends may greet the family from 4 to 8 p.m. on Monday, May 15, 2017, at Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton. Visitation will continue an hour prior to the Mass on Tuesday at the church.  Online condolences for Dick's family may be left at hugebackfuneralhome.comDick, the son of Edward and Mabel (French) Breitbach, was born Oct. 26, 1929, in rural Chickasaw County. He attended country schools and New Hampton High School until the age of 15, when his father passed and he began working with his brother Ed on the family farm. The two brothers managed a dairy operation with one of the first pipeline milking systems in Chickasaw County and later raised beef cattle and a grew a variety of field crops. In 1950, Dick entered the United States Air Force and served as a radio operator on B-29 and B-36 aircraft. He was stationed in Okinawa and at Walker Air Force Base in Roswell, New Mexico. Airman Breitbach was awarded the Air Medal for his part in far-reaching air strikes against communist military installations and equipment in North Korea. After four years in the Air Force, Dick moved back to New Hampton where he met Eileen Morrissey. The couple married on August 29, 1956, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in New Hampton, and to this union six children were born. The couple farmed together until 1993 when Richard retired.When not on the farm, Dick enjoyed fishing in Northern Minnesota and Canada. He was active in community organizations like the Lawler American Legion and the Knights of Columbus and was a lifetime member of the VFW. Whenever he was able, Dick joined friends in Jerico for coffee and a game or two of euchre. His family and friends meant a great deal to him and you could always catch Dick telling jokes and making people laugh where ever he was.  Dick is survived by his wife, Eileen Breitbach of New Hampton; one son, Steve (Paula) Breitbach of New Hampton; five daughters, Suellen (Leon) Kolbet of New Hampton, Connie (Dennis Sorensen) Severson of Brooklyn Park, Minn., Ann Knutson of New Hampton, Mary Beth (Chris) Harrold of Annapolis, MD, Karla (Jesse) Hurley of Cedar Rapids; 16 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.He was preceded in death by his parents; one son-in-law, Danny Knutson; two brothers, Donald Breitbach, and Ed Breitbach; and three sisters, Viola Palmersheim, Catherine Duryee, and Ruth Schultz.  

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