Cheryl D. Breslin's Obituary
Cheryl Darlene Breslin passed away on September 5th, 2023. She was born on January 3rd, 1947, in Vancouver, Washington, to Trygve and Ruby Hagen. She had one younger sister, Kristy, and they grew up in Orchards, Washington. Cheryl spent most of her free time riding horses and running her barn. Cheryl attended Evergreen High School, where she met her first husband, Dennis Malone, and together they had her only child, Robin. Although life with Dennis was brief, Cheryl was fortunate to meet the love of her life, Christopher J. Breslin. She knew she had met her match in Chris. The couple enjoyed countless parties on their houseboat and traveling with friends. They loved the Columbia River and made it a point to either live on it or have a view of it. In 1978, the couple opened Breslin Pontiac, Olds, GMC with Chris’s brother and wife. Shortly after, they moved to St. Helens to manage the dealership, and when Chris and Cheryl became sole owners, they expanded the dealership to include Ford. From then on, Cheryl was very involved in the local community and even served a term on the St. Helens City Council, in 1986. One of her proudest moments was purchasing the family farm, in 1995, and building her dream horse barn on the property four years later. Unfortunately, Chris passed away in 2004, leaving a large hole in Cheryl's life. However, that didn't stop her from continuing their legacy.
Those who knew Cheryl knew that she was a wise, resourceful, and independent business woman. She was also a lover of horses, Elvis Presley, Pepsi, and Benson & Hedges cigarettes. She will be remembered for the immense love she held for her family and her community, but also for the tough love that she gave to keep her loved ones on the straight and narrow. She will be celebrated for her kind heart and was known to give generous donations to those in need. On multiple occasions, she opened her home and barn to horses, dogs, and cats that needed a place to call home. If you were ever in need of assistance or advice, Cheryl would undoubtedly be your first call. She was also a force to be reckoned with when she was passionate about something and regularly shared her thoughts and opinions. You always knew where you stood with Cheryl, for better or for worse.
On any given day, you could find Cheryl driving her camouflage side-by-side around town to watch her great-grandson's baseball games, planning a family dinner, or sitting in front of her computer taking care of business. She was a true matriarch in her family and will be missed beyond words. Although saddened by such a great loss, it's undoubtable that she is overjoyed to be reunited with Chris again.
Cheryl is preceded in death by her mother, Ruby Hagen; father, Trygve Hagen; and husband, Christopher J. Breslin. She is survived by her sister, Kristy Gawthorne of Brush Prairie Washington; daughter, Robin Zimbrick (Ed); grandsons, Kyle Stonelake (Andrea) and Austin Zimbrick (Kristen); and great-grandsons, Logan, Landon, and Lincoln.
Cheryl’s family has decided not to host a celebration of life, as Cheryl did not like attending them. They would like everyone to remember her in their own way.
The family would like to thank the St. Helens Senior Center for their assistance and for the items they provided to help make her final days more comfortable.
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