C. Anthony Breck
Anthony Breck, 82, passed away on March 1, 2026. He was born on March 17, 1943, in San Jose, California, to Edward Charles Breck and Margaret Carmelita Ventura Breck.
Anthony was a Santa Barbara native and a descendant of some of the region’s earliest families. His fourth great-grandfather was Don José Francisco de Ortega, chief scout of the Gaspar de Portolá expedition of 1769 and later the first commandant of the Presidio of Santa Barbara. The expedition opened Alta California to Spanish settlement and helped pave the way for the establishment of the California mission system.
Anthony also carried forward a family legacy of courage and love for adventure through his grandfather, William Anthony Breck, who journeyed west from Boston, Massachusetts, as the gunsmith on Nathaniel Jarvis Wyeth’s overland expedition to the Oregon Country in 1832, one of the early American expeditions across the continent. William Anthony Breck later married Francisca Ortega and settled in the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo region.
Anthony graduated from Santa Barbara High School in 1961 and soon afterward enlisted in the United States Army. Stationed in Korea along the Demilitarized Zone, he served as a sergeant and medical specialist and earned badges in expert marksmanship and sharpshooting. Following his military service, he pursued pre-medical studies at the University of New Mexico and went on to build a career in healthcare, working in nursing and radiologic technology.
Above all else, Anthony was a devoted husband and father who treasured his family. On June 12, 1971, he married the love of his life, Anne Rae Breck, and together they built a life centered on their children and grandchildren.
Anthony was preceded in death by his siblings Charlie, Dorothy, and Stanley Breck. He is survived by his wife, Anne; his children Amber, Lincoln, and Sarah; his grandchildren, Huxley and Beaudry; his beloved niece Christine; and his nephews David and Loren. He will be greatly missed. The family would like to thank Santa Barbara VNA Hospice, for their care for Anthony and comfort.
