Rachel Lenore Breczinski

Rachel Breczinski, age 95, of Marshall, Minnesota, died on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at the Avera Granite Falls Heath Care Center. Memorial Mass is 11:00 a.m. Thursday, June 18, 2026, St. Mary's Catholic Church in Cottonwood, Minnesota. Following interment in the church cemetery, a reception for attendees will be held in the church basement. Visitation will be held just before her celebration, from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m. Thursday, June 18, 2026, also at the church. Please note the date.

Rachel Lenore Ford was born on August 3, 1930, in Sodus Township, Lyon County, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Robert and Eve Violet (Wixon) Ford. She grew up on a farm near Garvin, Minnesota and attended country school through eighth grade. Rachel graduated from Tracy High School in 1949. During high school she worked as a soda-jerk to pay for riding the bus to school. After graduation Rachel worked as a secretary in a real estate office in Marshall, Minnesota, and lived in a boarding house for young women on North 5th Street. She met her future husband at The Blue Moon Ballroom in Marshall.

On September 15, 1952, Rachel was united in marriage to Gorden Leo Breczinski at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Marshall. Rachel and Gorden farmed together initially living on his parents' farm, then renting for a few years before eventually buying their own farm northeast of Marshall in 1960. They enjoyed dancing, fishing, picnics with family and friends, church parish events, and the county fair. Rachel and Gorden raised six children and shared 62 years of marriage until Gorden’s death in 2014.

In addition to being a hardworking farm woman and mother, Rachel was very active in the community. She was a 4-H leader for 25 years, an active member of Catholic Daughters of the Americas and the Holy Redeemer Ladies’ Guild, a Marshall-Lyon County Library Board Trustee, a Volunteer with the Friends of the Library, an Exhibit Judge at various County Fairs, and a Volunteer at the Lyon County Fair. Rachel was one of the first Master Gardeners in Lyon County and she provided gardening advice to novice gardeners for many years.

Rachel was an avid reader and loved to garden, both vegetables and flowers, and won many ribbons at the local fair. Her garden had “magic dirt”. Rachel made the most delicious kosher dill pickles. She was also a history buff and actively pursued her genealogy: most recently exploring her ancestry on a road trip to Kentucky. She loved to travel - visiting most of the United States, plus Europe, Africa, the Middle East, South and Central America, Mexico, and Japan. At 88 years of age Rachel was even exploring the Galapagos Islands.

Rachel Breczinski died on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at the age of 95 years, 8 months and 25 days. Blessed and eternal be her memory.

She is survived by six children, Gerald Breczinski of Blaine, Debra (Richard) Banks of Vienna, VA, James Breczinski of Minnetonka, John (Jill) Breczinski of Golden Valley, Brian (Kyoko) Breczinski of Lewisburg, PA, Patrick Breczinski of Crystal; 10 grandchildren, Jennifer, Erik, Kristin (James), Mara (Enrico), Christopher (Janelle), Lora, William (Chloe), Stuart (Nanci), Philip (Anna), Katherine; 11 great-grandchildren, Zachary, Brayden, Reyna, Marco, Isabel, Lenora, Herbert, Oscar, Clara, Abbigail, Dezerae; sister, Linda (Ron) Stibbe of Balaton; sisters-in-law, Betty Jane Ford of Great Falls, MT, Loretta Breczinski of Marshall; nephews, nieces, other relatives and friends; and longtime farming partner, Gary VanOverbeke.

Rachel is preceded in death by her husband, Gorden Breczinski; parents, Robert & Eve Violet Ford; siblings, Catherine Greenfield, Margaret Nelson, Robert Ford, Merrill Ford, Duane Ford; and daughter-in-law, Carol Breczinski.