Obituaries
From our weekly issue dated March 11, 2009
Louis Matthias Von Breithaupt (photo provided)
Louis Matthias Von Breithaupt
Louis Matthias Von Breithaupt, 88, of Cave Junction, died Dec. 21, 2008 at the V.A. Medical Center in Salt Lake City. Interment was at Utah Veterans Memorial Park Cemetery at Camp Williams near Bluffdale, Utah.
A memorial service will be held Friday, March 20, 2009 at 3 p.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Cave Junction Ward temporary location at 28195 Redwood Hwy. in Cave Junction (the former Fire Mountain Gems building.)
Mr. Breithaupt was born Oct. 5, 1920 in Empire, Mich., to Matthias & Lelah Barr Breithaupt. His family said that he lived a full and varied life, traveling the country by railcars in his younger days. He served during World War II in the U.S. Army Infantry, taking part in the Invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. He was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered during battle action in Germany. He later joined the U.S. Air Force, then the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; and recently retired as vice commander in the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary stationed in Brookings, Ore.
He was an artist, welder, genealogist, logger, truck driver, and blacksmith. He loved to fish the rivers and coastlines of Oregon and Washington, paint, camp, and ride his brand-new motorcycle. He made everyone he met a friend, and helped many people in any way he could when he saw or knew of a need. He loved to tell stories of his childhood and past experiences, and mentioned his war buddies often. He was proud to be among the last survivors of WWII.
Mr. Breithaupt was baptized into the LDS Church in 1953 and served faithfully in many callings, most recently leading the music for Priesthood Meeting. He spent nine years serving as a temple worker in the Seattle Temple. He went to Utah last December to spend Christmas with his great-grandchildren and their parents.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Mary Breithaupt; and his twin sister, Lelah Shalda; his first wife, Mabel Heartley Breithaupt; and a great-grandson. He is survived by his wife, Cathleen Walker Von Breithaupt; three sons, Lee Griffith, Matt Breithaupt and David Breithaupt; two daughters, Barbara Snyder and Christine Pettit; 20 grandchildren; and 26 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
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