Beth E. Breen

Beth E. Breen, age 61, of Yankton, South Dakota died on Saturday, March 1, 2025 at Avera Majestic Bluffs Hospice House in Yankton.

A memorial service will be held at 1:30 PM, on Saturday, March 8, 2025 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Hurley, South Dakota with Pastor Shadoe Hanson officiating. Burial will be in the Hurley Cemetery. A visitation where the family will receive friends will be from 5:30 to 7:00 PM, on Friday, March 7 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton.

Beth Eleen Nielsen was born on Tuesday, February 4, 1964 to Gernhart and Evelyn (Jorgensen) Nielsen. Her mother often recalled the day as “a beautiful one where she drove herself to the hospital to find out if she was having a girl or a boy”. She says she “lucked out” but all who knew Evelyn know she would have loved another boy just as much. Beth grew up in Hurley, SD in a happy home with many siblings and as a child, loved kittens and dolls. She graduated from Hurley High School among 14 classmates. She loved sports and always felt lucky to be a member of the Dakota State College Women’s Basketball Team where she attended college.

 God blessed Beth with two amazing sons who were the true joys of her life. Many family trips revolved around the boys’ sports, especially soccer. The families they shared their love of soccer and basketball with became close family friends. Beth made many friends over her lifetime and loved meeting new people. She lived an adventurous life living in and traveling to many places including California, Montana and Vermont as a nanny before settling down in Yankton to get married and raise a family. In 2000, she started working in the Sales Department at Kolberg-Pioneer and made many lifelong friends there. She enjoyed the customers she grew to know from all over the world.

 Beth cherished her family and her many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews. Beth adored her sister and often said that Sue had the biggest heart in the whole world. She also loved her brothers and felt that God had blessed her with 4 brothers to help fill the void left when her father died. She appreciated all of them for different reasons and was so thankful she had a big family to lean on throughout her life. 

 Beth’s admiration for her mother was indescribable. She learned her work ethic, love of God, friendliness and giving spirit from her mother who was her greatest hero. Beth loved the stories her mother told about her father, Gurney and his immeasurable kindness and generosity. As a child, Beth’s father nicknamed her the Candy Striper because she emulated the Stripers that he encountered in the hospital while fighting cancer. The name “Striper” stuck; many people used this nickname for Beth throughout her life, often not even knowing her real name. Beth dreamed of life in Heaven, getting to know her biological father and her Heavenly Father.

 Beth was baptized, confirmed and married in the Lutheran Church. She taught Sunday School and Bible School, sang in the choir and played the organ at Bethany Lutheran Church in Hurley. She spent her adult life as a member of St. John’s in Yankton where her children were baptized and confirmed.

 Beth leaves behind two sons: Ethan Breen of Sioux Falls and Landon Breen of Yankton; four brothers: Wayne (Barb) of Sioux Falls, Dan (Marcia) of Hurley, Mark (Julie) of Yankton and Tim Nielsen of Denver, CO; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

 Beth was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Susan Fundak; and nephew, Brian Nielsen.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the mental health or suicide prevention organization of your choice.