Thomas F. "Tom, Tommy" McBreen
Burial Details
Obituaries
Eagle Valley Enterprise page 1 - February 8, 1968
TOM McBREEN KILLED BY FREIGHT TRAIN.
Thomas F. McBREEN, 65, former Eagle County Clerk was killed instantly when he was struck by a freight train inside Eagle city limits this afternoon.
Mr. McBREEN had stepped upon the track seconds before the tragedy occurred.His pet dog, with him at the time, jumped clear of the train.
Ruby STROUSE, waitress at the White Eagle Cafe across the highway and east of the scene of the accident told Patrol Sgt. KELLY that she was looking out the cafe window toward the track when she saw Mr. McBREEN walking on the track about 60 feet north of the railroad crossing and said he either tripped or just sat down on the track. She said she saw him pushing the dog, as if trying to get him out of the way when she heard a train whistle closeby.
He was hit from behind by the engine and knocked off the track.The train did not run over him.
Engineer C. J. COLOSIMO of Grand Junction said McBREEN was seen too late to stop before hitting him.
The waitress told Sgt. KELLY that the train wasn't going as fast as through trains usually travel through town.
Mr. McBREEN lived just west of where he was killed, and was on his way home.
He served Eagle County as Clerk and Recorder for many years, and retired over a year ago because of very poor health. He is a native of Minturn and served in the Pacific during World War II.He was active in the Republican Party in the county, serving many years as secretary to the county committee and was active in Veterans of Foreign Wars, when there was a post in this county.
Funeral arrangements are pending at Farnum Mortuary in Glenwood Springs.
Eagle Valley Enterprise - February 15, 1968
Requiem Mass for Thomas F. McBREEN was Monday, Feb. 12 in St. Stephens' Catholic Church in Glenwood. Mr. McBREEN was killed in a train accident a few years from his home in Eagle last Thursday afternoon.
He was born Nov. 27, 1901 at Sellars, Colorado, and lived nearly all his life in Eagle County, receiving his schooling in Minturn and Boulder.
He was of a railroading family, and worked as a railroader himself, until he became County Clerk of Eagle County.
Tommy served with the Medical Corps overseas during World War II and upon release from the Armed Forces led an active life in all veterans' affairs. At the time of his death he was Veterans Service Officer for the County, an office he retained when he retired from the office of County Clerk a little over a year ago.
Tommy made his home in Minturn for 41 years, before moving to Eagle 18 years ago.
He is survived by a brother, Wm. J. McBREEN of Salida; two sisters, Mrs. Katherine MACK of Glenwood and Mrs. Mary STITT of Denver and several nieces and nephews.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 7 - February 10, 1968
