Breckenridge, Hugh December 2, 1946 to January 14, 2011 Our hero, our rock, our father, husband and friend, Hugh left us the evening of January 14 after a 16-month battle (or "coexistence" as he so pragmatically and optimistically put it) with throat and neck cancer. He passed away in the the comfort of his own home in Irvine with his wife, two sons, his physician, a good friend, and his loyal dog Buddy by his side. Hugh's courage, grace, and determination in the face of this awful and indiscriminate disease amazed everyone around him. Through all the ups and downs, the good news and bad, he never lost focus, never complained, never lost his unfailing sense of humor, and never lost his sincere gratitude for the gift of life and the undying support of his family and friends. And - most importantly - he never ever gave up. Born in Santa Monica, to Anne Kresge Breckenridge and James Breckenridge in 1946, and raised close to the shores of the Pacific in Santa Barbara, Hugh had a great love of surfing, baseball and golf. After graduating from Crane School in 1960, Hugh went east to Connecticut, and Pomfret School, where he graduated in 1964 as an honor student, a member of student government, a member of multiple clubs, and a letter winner in soccer, baseball, squash and golf. He attended Stanford University (whose recent Orange Bowl victory brought him great happiness and pride) from 1964 to 1968, graduating with a BA in Economics, and as a member of the executive committee of the Alpha Tau Omicron fraternity. In 1966, he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he served as a Non-Lawyer Legal Officer and Naval Aviator (often towing targets for elite fighter pilots) in Flecompron 7 (VC-7) based at Miramar Naval Air Station in San Diego. Hugh met his beautiful wife, Katherine Cannon, in Santa Barbara in November of 1971. They were married in her hometown of Cazenovia, NY, in July of 1972. The newlyweds took up residence in Westminster, CA and Hugh enrolled at Pepperdine University's School of Law from which he graduated 1975 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence, and was admitted to the California State Bar. He built a highly-respected private law practice in Irvine that he operated for 32 years as a lawyer, mediator, and arbitrator, and was a proud member of the Orange County Bar Association and the California State Bar Association, and spent 31 years as the M.C. of Dick Richard's Breakfast Club in Newport Beach. Hugh's sons, Riley and Edward, were the joys of his life. He shared his love of the ocean and surfing with them and coached many of their youth sports teams over the years, imparting his wisdom, patience, and sharing his passion for building character and teamwork. A fantastic parent and teacher, Hugh made an indelible impression on not only his children, but on a generation of young athletes in the Irvine area. In recent years, Hugh found great joy rediscovering his love of golf, playing as often as possible with his crew of golfing buddies and competitively on the Pepsi Golf Tour. He was a diehard fan and season ticket holder of California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels, and loved playing racquetball, squash, and "staying in shape" with his good friends at the University Athletic Club. He was also a huge fan of music: jazz, classical, and especially music of Thrice, the band his sons have been a part of for the past 12 years. Hugh was living proof that the heroes we so often seek among athletes and celebrities have actually been sitting across from us at the dinner table all the while - part of our golf foursomes, part of our everyday lives, a phone call away. He was a true hero, and he will be sorely missed. He is survived by his wife, Katherine; his sons, Riley and Edward; his sister, Anne Dorsey of Berkeley; his half-brother, Wright Watling of Santa Barbara; his half-brother, Charles Watling of Oakview; and a handful of cousins. Friends and family will be notified about a memorial mass in his honor. Per Hugh's request, he would be grateful for donations to standup2cancer.org.

Published in Orange County Register on Jan. 20, 2011