AnonymousJoan Georges Breen, beloved daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, aunt, two-time cancer survivor, and friend to many, passed away peacefully in Fresno, CA on March 4, 2020 at the age of 86. Intelligent, sharp-witted, and independent, Joan lived a full life of meaning, purpose, and enjoyment. She will be deeply missed.
Born in Minneapolis, MN on April 26, 1933, Joan was the second of three daughters to Selma Falck Carlson and Alfred Carlson. She was proud of her Norwegian upbringing and incorporated phrases like “uff da!” into her everyday life. She was married to Robert Georges and they had two sons, Douglas and Peter. With the mild weather calling, the family moved from Minnesota to Isla Vista, CA in 1960 and then to Goleta shortly thereafter where she resided for 35 years.
As a single mother for much of her life, Joan was fiercely determined to succeed in her career path. She worked for a multitude of local companies: RBR Concrete Contractors, Inc., Ko-Art Homes, Inc., Bottiani Properties, LLC, and McMahan’s Furniture as an accountant. With her determination, she was able to purchase a brand-new home in Goleta which she cherished and kept neat as a pin for three decades.
Driven to excel even further, Joan put herself through college. She graduated with both a Bachelors and a Masters degree in Accounting from the UCLA extension at UCSB. She then worked as a licensed CPA for Faletti, Knapp, and Jarabin, LLP, eventually retiring from the firm as a Partner.
Joan met her soulmate, James Breen, and the two wed in 1981. They were very much in love and shared 27 wonderful years as a married couple until his passing in 2008. Jim’s children, Jeannette, Jimmy, Ranae, and their families were adored by Joan and she loved having them all in her life.
Joan and Jim loved traveling in their RV and made a point to visit most every state in it. They moved from Goleta to Squaw Valley, CA, in 1995 where they built the home of their dreams to quietly live out their golden years. Joan was very active in the Squaw Valley community and acted as treasurer and board member in various capacities for several local organizations.
Joan was a woman of many hobbies, and she always had a way to keep herself occupied. She loved crafting, knitting, crocheting, needlepoint, completing daily crossword puzzles, playing her organ, watching Jeopardy!, and gardening. She was known for her gorgeous flower gardens – especially her roses which she took great pride in maintaining. If you were a close friend or family member, you could count on Joan to send a heartfelt Hallmark greeting card for your birthday or special occasion. As a CPA, she had a penchant for assisting clients with tax preparation and did so until her very last days. She was a meticulous housekeeper and always kept her home immaculate. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining for her family and friends, and she loved herself a good libation. If you entered her home, you were treated as family and usually sent home with a plate of food.
Joan was preceded in death by her parents Alfred and Selma, sisters Patty Carlson and Elaine Lancaster, first husband Bob Georges, husband Jim Breen, and daughter Ranae Breen Dean.
She leaves behind her children, Doug Georges (Elaine) of Goleta, Pete Georges of Squaw Valley, Jeannette Wright of Rancho Santa Margarita, and Jim Breen (Valerie) of Costa Mesa.
Also surviving her are 9 grandchildren which she positively doted upon, Eric, Robert, Evan, and Colton Georges, Toni Wright Lorenz, Michael Wright, Chris Breen, Tyla Breen Williams, and Sean Dean, 10 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind many nieces, nephews, several dear friends, as well as her beloved dog, Nicki.
Joan, you may be gone from our sight, but you are never gone from our hearts.
There will be a memorial service and luncheon on Wednesday, June 17th at 11:00 a.m. at the Bear Mountain Library, 30733 E. Kings Canyon Rd, Squaw Valley. All who knew Joan are welcome. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her name to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org), an organization she was very passionate about.
