Frederick Joseph Breit, Sr.

Frederick Joseph Breit was born March 19, 1936 in Chicago to Fritz & Maria Breit, recent immigrants from Bavaria. He grew up a mile south of Wrigley Field & cherished baseball dreams until the reality of near-sighted vision forced a different career choice. In high school, he found an outlet in debating, journalism and local Democratic politics. He then attended the University of Chicago & Roosevelt University pursuing classes in history & politics. He & his wife Anitra and their 3 children moved to Durham, North Carolina where he attended Duke University on an NDEA fellowship & studied for this Ph.D. in Russian & European history.

In 1967, the family came to Walla Walla where he joined the history faculty of Whitman College. In 1979, he worked with a committee of colleagues to develop the Freshman CORE program which energized his teaching & intellectual life until he retired in 1999. After a lifetime of reading, following baseball, traveling & listening to music, he fell & broke his hip. After a long convalescence, he died February 15, 2014 at Park Manor in Walla Walla.

He is survived by his wife, Anitra; son, Frederick & his wife, Shelly; son, Thomas; daughter, Stephanie & her husband Will Nicholson; granddaughters, Jennifer & Larissa; grandsons, Eric, Lucas, Quinn & Peter. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Frank & his son, Christopher.

Throughout his life, he delighted in the companionship of a series of dogs adopted from the Blue Mountain Humane Society.

Viewing & visitation will be held on Thursday, February 20, 2014 from 2:00 PM until 7:00 PM & also on Friday, February 21, 2014 from 2:00 PM until 7:00 PM at the Herring Funeral Home, 315 W. Alder, Walla Walla. A gathering of family & friends will be on Saturday, February 22, 2014 from 2:00 PM until 4:00 PM at the family home, 60 W. Tietan St., Walla Walla. Memorial contributions may be made to the Blue Mountain Humane Society through the funeral home.