Marjorie Pauline Breen

1922 - 2020

OCEANSIDE — Marjorie Pauline Breen passed away September 18th, 2020, with both of her daughters Jill and Linda, by her side. She was ninety-seven years old.

Marjorie was born in Oceanside, California, and was a lifelong resident of that city. She was the only child of former Oceanside Fire Chief Walter M. and Virginia Z. Johnson (Everett). Her family has continued to live in Oceanside for over one hundred and fifteen years. Marjorie’s paternal grandparents Hans Peter and Mary Cecilia Johnson, settled in the San Luis Rey Valley in 1908. Her maternal grandparents, Edwin W. and Zeruah Everett, settled in Oceanside in 1905.

Marjorie often shared stories of growing up in what was then little ol’ Oceanside with family and friends. She spent much of her youth and teen years on the family dairy farms and ranch, playing and riding horses throughout the San Luis Rey Valley.

Marjorie first married Donald Penning in 1951. He had decided to make his home in Oceanside after serving in World War ll as a fighter pilot with the 14th Army Air Force, the “Flying Tigers.” They had two daughters, Jill in 1952 and Linda, in 1957. They owned and operated Oceanside Photo in downtown Oceanside for many years. Marjorie married second to Patrick Breen in 1978. Patrick was an Oceanside police officer and San Diego

County Sheriff Deputy.

As a young woman, Marjorie worked for Pacific Bell Telephone as an operator. For many years she also worked as a receptionist for Pacific Savings and Loan and the Del Mar Racetrack.

Marjorie was a loving grandmother to three grandchildren and lived to know and love her four great-grandchildren. All four were fortunate enough to know her for several years, and to them she was “Gigi”.

Marjorie had a very unique personality. She was a “people person” known for both her friendliness and feistiness. She was naturally kind and sincere, easily making friends both young and old throughout her life. In her later years, a few of her closer young friends came to call her their “second mother.” She loved to entertain friends, to visit, or just sit and talk whenever possible. She was that person who always seemed to know the right thing to say to make family, friends, or strangers feel special.

Marjorie was blessed with good health living in the home she loved with her dog “Mimi” and still driving until the age of ninety-one.

Marjorie is survived by her daughter Jill Reilly (Penning) and husband Bill of Vista, her daughter Linda Weseloh (Penning) and husband Peter of Oceanside, grandchildren Kyle Weseloh and wife Jeannette, Erin Leonardo (Weseloh) and husband Jason, and Julienne Weseloh all of Oceanside, great-grandchildren Grayson and Daxton Weseloh, and Isabella and Ryland Leonardo, and stepdaughter Becky Kilgras (Breen) and husband Scott of Medford, Oregon.

Private services were held September 25th at Eternal Hills Memorial Park in Oceanside.

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