Breck, Samuel B.

Samuel Beaudoux ("Beau") Breck Passed away peacefully with his
family by his side on September 27 in Carmel, California after a
courageous battle with cancer. He was born on June 3, 1932 in
Oakland, California to Samuel Earl Breck and Anita Beaudoux
Breck. He was pre-deceased by his sister Beverly Breck Bryant.
Beau was raised in Oakland and Piedmont, California. He attended
Piedmont High School where he was President of his Senior Class,
and where he first met and dated his future wife of 57 years,
Helen Bragg. In 1950 he enrolled in the University of California
at Berkeley where he majored in Political Science, and developed
an abiding interest in American history and politics. Beau was
the Captain and "Stroke" of the Varsity Crew, a member of Zeta
Psi Fraternity and the President of Skull and Keys. He developed
many lifelong friendships at Cal and remained an active alum,
serving at one point as President of the Big C Society. After
graduating from Cal in 1954, Beau and Helen were married and
moved to Germany, where Beau served for two years as a
Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Counterintelligence Corps. Following
his service, he returned to live in Piedmont and began his
professional career in San Francisco as a stockbroker. In the
late 1960's, he left the brokerage business for a career as a
trusted and respected Investment Manager, retiring in 2006 from
the firm, Stein Roe Investment Counsel. While living in the Bay
Area, he was a longstanding member of the Pacific-Union Club and
the Claremont Country Club, where he sang in the Men's Chorus
for nearly three decades. In 2003, Beau moved full time to
Carmel, California. He loved the Monterey Peninsula and greatly
enjoyed the many friendships he developed at the Old Capital
Club and at the Church of the Forest, where he was Treasurer for
several years. Beau had a wide circle of friends of all ages and
was known for his character, integrity, and kindness. He was a
raconteur with a quick sense of humor and a hearty laugh. He had
an irrepressible enthusiasm, a positive attitude toward life,
and a genuine interest in others. All who knew him felt his
sincerity and warmth. He was passionate about nature and the
outdoors and spent summers hiking in the Sierra near his beloved
cabin at Silver Lake and also in the mountains of Europe with
friends. He was an avid snow skier and fly fisherman, and
enjoyed dominoes and poetry. Beau was a devoted and loving
husband, father, and an especially attentive grandfather. He
will be greatly missed by his wife Helen; son, Peter and
daughter-in-law Toni of Ross; daughter, Amy and son-in-law Kirby
Wilcox of Piedmont; son, Ted and daughter-in-law Kristen of
Kentfield; and by his grandchildren Hunter, Beau, Claire, Molly,
Katelin, Sophie and Teddy. Beau is survived also by his
treasured in-laws; Mary and John Ricksen of Walnut Creek; Patty
and Grove Bryant of Orinda; many Ricksen and Bryant nieces and
nephews; and his cousins Wendy and Henry Breck of New York. A
celebration of Beau's life will be held on Monday, October 24th
at 2:30 pm at the Church of the Forest in Pebble Beach, with a
reception to follow. The family would like to acknowledge the
kindness and professionalism of Dr. Jerome Rubin and the Medical
Staff at Monterey Bay Oncology, the Oncology Staff of The
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP), and Katie
Bagley of Hospice. Gifts in honor of Beau can be made either to
the Community Hospital Foundation c/o Comprehensive Cancer
Center, P.O. Box HH Monterey, CA 93940; or to the University of
California Crew c/o Bear Backers, 195 Haas Pavilion, University
of California, Berkeley, CA 94720; or to a charity of your
choice. Published in San Francisco Chronicle from October 6 to
October 9, 2011