John Michael Breen, 80, of Bowling Green, Ky., passed away March 29, 2025, at the Medical Center at Bowling Green. He was born in Pittsfield, Mass., on August 9, 1944, the son of the late Dr. Joseph Victor Breen and Johanna Marie Van Blerck Breen.
John graduated from Pittsfield High School and the TMI School of Transportation of New York. He joined the United States Army in 1964. He was awarded the outstanding soldier and achievement certificate of his Fort Dix, N.J., training unit. In 1966 as a member of the 1st Special Forces, 10th Special Forces Group ABN (Green Beret), he was awarded and decorated with the United States National Defense Medal and received his honorable discharge in 1970.
John spent his professional career as a purchasing/traffic manager and held supply-chain-management positions in purchasing, materials, transportation, electronics, steel fabrication, and plastic industries in North Adams; Tucson, Ariz.; and Bowling Green, Ky. John held memberships in a number of professional organizations and was a past president of the Berkshire County Traffic Association. John was also a member of the Massachusetts governor’s task force on Economic Development in Berkshire County under former Gov. Michael Dukakis. John held a seat on the board of the Berkshire County March of Dimes and volunteered with Junior Achievement.
No professional or occupational achievement could possibly measure up to the legacy John leaves as a husband and father. He was a loving and devoted husband to Denise for 57 years. Their love story was one for the ages, and they were an amazing example of a happy life starting with picking the right partner. As a father, John was unmatched. He made his children feel like they could achieve anything. He taught the importance of always telling the truth, being fair, and following the Golden Rule. His military way of doing things belied the big mush inside who celebrated every one of his family members’ victories big or small and cried with us over our sorrows. His favorite designation in life was that of “Gee,” as he was known to his beloved grandchildren, Jack, Grace, and Berkley. John also had a deep and abiding faith in life and believed with all his heart that we will be together again.
John leaves his wife Lynne Denise Breen (nee Coughlin), whom he married on July 15, 1967; his daughter Lynne Marie Harting (Michael) of Latham, N.Y.; his son Michael Dennis Breen (Collette) of Hendersonville, Tenn.; his brother George C. Breen (Pamela) of Orange City, Fla.; three grandchildren, John Stanley Harting of North Royalton, Ohio, Grace Elizabeth Harting of Latham, N.Y., and Berkley Lynne Breen of Hendersonville, Tenn.; his nephew Joseph Breen of Montclair, N.J.; two nieces, Colleen McKearney (David) of Cheshire, Mass., and Johanna Dushanek (Mark) of Pittsfield; and two sisters-in-law, Jill Sohl of Joppa, Md., and Kathleen Breen of Dalton. He was predeceased by his sister Nancy Victoria McDuffey, his brother Victor Joseph Breen, and his sister-in-law Angela Breen.
A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be held on April 26, 2025, at 10 a.m., in St. Ann Church in Lenox. Burial will follow in St. Ann Cemetery. An hour of visitation will precede the service beginning at 9 a.m. Donations in John’s memory may be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation. To share memories and stories, please visit the website of Roche Funeral Home.
