ROBERT BREEN

Funeral services for Robert (Bob) William Breen, 93, of Wagner were held Tuesday, May 24 at Wagner Community Church in Wagner. Burial was in the ZCBJ Cemetery, rural Wagner, with military honors. Peters Funeral Home in Wagner was in charge of arrangements.

Bob Breen was born to George and Ella Breen on March 23, 1929 in Woonsocket. He passed away Wednesday, May 18, 2022 at the Good Samaritan Society in Wagner.

Bob grew up in Armour, where he attended school and participated in basketball and boxing. Bob left school early and joined the Navy, just a few weeks after his 17th birthday. The Armour School District awarded Bob his high school diploma in 1948 during his enlistment. While in the Navy, Bob was a Navy Seabee, earning a WWII Victory Medal. He was Honorably discharged from the Navy in April 1949, then started working on the Ft Randall Dam Project as a heavy equipment operator. He met the love of his life, Carol Carda. They married April 23, 1950. When the Ft Randall Project was complete, he and Carol moved to Sioux Falls, where he started his new job as a truck driver for Dakota Iron. He then took a position as a OTR truck driver for John Morrells.

Bob and Carol were blessed with two children during that time, Pat and Sherri. After years of working out of the Sioux Falls plant, he was transferred to Omaha, NE, where he continued to truck for Morrells, until deciding to move his family back to Wagner in 1976. He and Carol purchased the Sawdust Trail and turned it into Bob”s Place which they owned and operated until 1984. During this time, Bob was a Wagner police officer, drove school bus and enjoyed sponsoring softball teams (Bob’s Boys). In the summer of 1984, he sold Bob’s Place and moved back to Sioux Falls. After working years for School Bus Inc, he and Carol retired and moved back to Wagner in 2003. Bob stayed busy, working at the Boys and Girls club for many years until 2018 when he decided to officially retire at the age of 89!

Bob loved getting together with family, attending children and grandchildren’s events, hunting, and all sports. He will be remembered for his sense of humor, his big heart, generosity, his willingness to always help, and the love he had for his wife, children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Thankful for having shared his life are son Patrick and wife Becky Breen of Wagner, daughter Sherri and husband Eric Bauman of Le Mars, IA, his grandchildren: Savanah and husband Ryan Meyer and their children Sawyer, Gracelyn, Emerson and McCoy of Parkston, Mitchel Breen and fiancé Kristan Soukup of Wagner, Sydney and husband Jasen Carlson and their son Kane of Lincoln NE, Olivia and Jhett Breen of Wagner, Benjamin Bauman of Hahira, GA, Michael and wife Brie Bauman and their daughter Audree of Le Mars, Jack and Sophie Bauman of Le Mars; sisters: Jane Weinries of Dolan, SD, Sharon Dietz of Easley, SC; and brother John and wife Ruth Breen of Baltic; and many nieces, nephews, relatives and friends.

Bob was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Carol (Carda), siblings: Nellie (Morse), Patrick Breen, MaryAnn (Permann), Vera (Stransky), Mike Breen, Frank Breen and George Breen.