Theresa Marie Breck

Twenty-two days after her 99 th birthday, Theresa Marie (Humpa) Breck passed away on October 3, 2022, in Olathe, KS. She was under the care of Catholic Community Hospice, the caring staff of Villa St. Francis Catholic Care Center, and with much loving attention from her family. Services are as follows: Prayers and Visitation on Tuesday, October 11 th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM at Maple Hill Funeral Home, 3300 Shawnee Dr., KCK; Funeral Mass at 10:00 AM at Our Lady of Unity Catholic Church, 2626 S. 34 th Street, KCK. Theresa was born September 11, 1923, in Mitchell, South Dakota, to John Anthony and Theresa Barbara (Pape) Humpa. Her mother died the day after her birth from related complications. She often said, “I don’t know if my mother ever held me.” Her childhood homes in Dimock and Parkston, South Dakota, consisted of various stays with her dad, grandparents, aunts, and at boarding schools. She attended Parkston High School where she was a cheerleader and participated in variety of non-sports activities. On January 19, 1945, she married Nicholas Francis Breck beginning a marriage that lasted over 70 years until Nick’s passing on July 29, 2015. During WWII and while Nick was in the Army Air Corp she was a “Rosie the Riveter,” working on the manufacture of B25’s in the Fairfax area of Kansas City, KS. Toward the end of the war she joined Nick in Arizona. Before they returned to South Dakota they lived in Oakland, CA, where Nick worked as a butcher. In 1950, Nick and Theresa along with their three sons, Terry John, Rodney Allen, and Gregory Francis, moved to Kansas City, KS. Theresa and Nick were very active members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Theresa for most of her 72 years as a member. She worked in the church office, was a member of the Altar Society and the Ladies’ Circle, taught religion classes and was a Cub Scout den mother. She and Nick worked at the St. Mary’s Food Kitchen for 28 years. For 62 years she cared for the altar linens and always made certain they were clean, ironed and properly placed on the altar. At the time of her passing she was the oldest member of the church. Along with Nick there was nothing Theresa wouldn’t do for her family. For many years almost all the boys’ school uniforms, shirts, pajamas, etc., were a result of her talents as a seamstress. Her homemade bread, cookies and pies were coveted by family and friends. Her hobbies were crocheting, quilting, seasonal crafts, vegetable and flower gardening and trying new recipes. She and Nick enjoyed trips to the casinos and BINGO nights at Sacred Heart. In later years she enjoyed playing cards and dominoes and working jigsaw puzzles. During summers while the boys were young the Breck family often went camping every weekend. Together the couple traveled to 48 states and Canada, usually in their RV. A real highlight of their traveling years was a church-sponsored trip to Italy during which they visited The Vatican. They often camped in MO and KS (sometimes for weeks at a time), and they loved to fish from their 14-ft boat. When asked if their mom fished, her sons used to reply, “Dad loves to fish and Mom likes it more.” Once while fishing from the shore with her family in South Dakota, she had a Walleye on the hook when it flipped off. She proceeded to jump in and grab it before it got away. The temperature was in the 30’s! Theresa was generous, thoughtful and agreeable, wanting to go along with what others wanted to do. When asked what she’d like to do or what food she wanted, she often replied, “Surprise me!” Conversations often ended with, “We’ll keep in touch,” or “It will all work out.” As the result of a fall in 2018, Theresa moved and into an apartment at Overland Park Place in February, 2019, leaving the house she had lived in for almost 69 years. In the summer of 2022 another fall necessitated a move to Villa St. Francis where she could attend daily Mass and get the care she needed. A wonderful birthday party to celebrate her 99 th birthday was held there on 9/11/2022. Theresa was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her eldest son, Terry, and daughter-in-law, Joyce. She is survived by her sons, Rodney Breck of KCK, and Greg (Linda) Breck of Overland Park and daughter-in-law, Dolores DeMeese Breck. Survivors also include eight grandchildren -- Virginia Breck of Brunswick, GA; Joseph (Donna) Breck of Pensacola, FL; Teresa (Clark) Maggart of Powder Springs, GA; Jennifer (Jeff) Lampe of Rocheport, MO; Rhonda (David DeFlitch) Sims and Nicholas Breck of Lenexa, KS; Liesel (Brian) Werch of Brookfield, WI; and John (Tiffany) Breck of Blandon, PA. She is also survived by 12 great- grandchildren – Jonathan, Jared, Caleb, Noah, Madisen, Peter, Ryan, Greg, Harrison, Hunter, Emma and Ellie; and she had seven great-great-grandchildren – Jordan, Mason, Addie, Colton, Clark, Benjamin and Amelia. In lieu of flowers, should you wish to honor Theresa’s memory with a donation, please consider Our Lady of Unity Catholic Church or St. Mary’s Food Kitchen. All donations should be sent in care of Maple Hill Funeral Home.

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Theresa Marie Breck

September 11, 1923 - October 3, 2022