Obituary of James Breslin

James J. Breslin, 87, of Washington, NJ, died Sunday December 14, 2008 in the Warren Hospital, Phillipsburg, NJ. James was born on September 18, 1921 in Easton, PA the son of the late Bernard and the late Edith M. (Moore) Breslin-Hawk and resided in Washington most of his life. James graduated from Washington High School and attended Churchman's Business College. He was a Tech Sgt. and veteran of World War II and served in the Headquarter Company of the Carribean Defense Command establishing defenses in Central and South America from 1942 – 1945. James was owner and President of the Breslin-Pritchard Insurance Agency from 1965 until retiring in 1989, prior to that he was head bookkeeper at the First National Bank, now Wachovia Bank in Washington Memberships:He was a charter and life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post #6701 and a life member of the American Legion Post #103, both of Washington. James was a past President and member of the Washington Kiwanis Club for 46 years and served as Secretary and Treasurer for many years as well as on the board of Director's. He received the Legion of Honor and also the recipient of the Hixson Fellowship Award, being the first to receive such an award in the 75 year history of the Club. He served as Treasurer of the Washington Centennial Committee in 1968 and Treasurer of the Washington Centennial Foundation from 1968 – 1995. He was also a Past President of the Washington Chamber of Commerce. James was a former member of the Moose Lodge of Washington and also the Washington Elks. He was a life member of the West Easton Athletic Association, Easton, PA and also Past President of the Warren Wheelers Square Dance Club. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Washington and was Treasurer for many years. Survivors: He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Muriel (Wilson) Breslin; a daughter, Kathleen A. Vlossak and her companion Terry Yetter of Washington, NJ; two sons, Thomas J. and his wife Bonnie Breslin of Oldsmar, FL, and William B. and his wife Linda Breslin of Stewartsville, NJ; seven grandchildren, Lynn, Colleen, Jessica, Bradley, Jeffrey, Derek and Daniel; six Greatgrandchildren , Brian, Melinda, Melissa, Zeke, Ethan and Kelly; a niece, Edith Taylor; a nephew, Ronald Stem, Jr.; two great nephews, Blair Miller and Staciy Taylor. In addition to his parents, a sister, Catherine Miller, and a nephew, Charles "Jimmy" Miller all died earlier. Services: A memorial service will be held Sunday, December 28, 2008 at 2:00 pm at the United Methodist Church of Washington, 116 E. Washington Ave, Washington, NJ. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be sent to either the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, 6917 Arlington Rd. Ste #308, Bethesda, MD 20814 or the American Diabetes Association, 1160 Rte. 22 East #103, Bridgewater, NJ 08807. Memorials: Arrangements are under the direction of DeVoe Funeral Services, Inc., 136 W. Washington Ave., Washington, NJ. Online condolences may be expressed at www.devoefuneral.com. Tributes: Tribute from: ronald&agnes rawson Dear Muriel Agnes and Ronald Rawson, family of Ted Mitchell, express our deepest sympathy over the passing of Jim. God blessyou and your family at this time. We wish to thank you for your friendship w/Ted & Dot when they were with us. If you need to talk to us we are here. Tribute from: Barbara Rose In addition to his many other community activites, Mr. Breslin served on the Board of Trustees of the Washington Public Library for many years, until the time of his passing. As Chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee, he was diligent in his duties, and always available when needed. The entire library staff grieves his loss. He was also active in Kiwanis until this month. His last major project was the completion of the Kiwanis Pavilion in the park after the first contractor defaulted. Jim found contractors and supervised their work, making sure the structure was completed soundly. Being connected to both the Library and Kiwanis (he was my sponsor for membership) I was privileged to work closely with Jim on many projects, large and small. His wisdom and financial advice were precious, as was his sense of humor and the twinkle in his eye. It has been a privilege to know him. Jim Breslin was a true friend and a can do person. He knew and was known by so many people and he always had and smile and a way of making us feel good about ourselves. Whenever Jim's name was mentioned, folks would say: "You know, I like that Jim Breslin". Jim loved his family, his church, his community, and his friends. He had special gifts and we will deeply miss his presence. Jerry Baucom Tribute from: Billie & Bob Thatcher Dear Mrs. Breslin and family, With love, prayer and wonderful memories of my old neighbors and friends. Billie Mae Tribute from: Bob Pruznick The same age as my father, Jim was a very paternal figure for me ever since I moved home in 1981. His office on Broad Street was next door to the one room that housed the agency at that time and he was a regular source of neighborhood news and good cheer. He introduced me to Washington and sponsored my membership in Kiwanis. He was a positive fixture on the county scene - always an energetic contributor to the good of others. Jim's death leaves a real vacuum in the lives of those who knew and loved him and the community at large.