Wauconda Orchards founder lived his 104 years fully
Dick Breeden was an Eagle Scout, a corporate executive, a businessman, a Naval Reserve officer, an artist and a history lover.
But it was as an apple grower and hands-on host that his signature endeavor became a cherished memory for many suburban residents.
A farmer at heart, the Evanston native started planting apple trees on rolling land for what became Wauconda Orchards, a pioneering second career that lasted 50 years.
Breeden, who welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors as proprietor of the business on Gossell Road, died April 2 at his home in Arlington Heights. He was 104.
"One hundred and four years, and he was good up until the end," said his son, Rick, who still lives a few doors from the family home where he grew up in Wauconda. "He lived his life fully and left no stone unturned."
Breeden's list of achievements and milestones, including a 75-year marriage to his late wife, Margaret, is long. He was responsible for setting up officer training schools throughout the U.S. and by the end of World War II had earned the rank of lieutenant commander in the Naval Reserve.
He became the managing director for various trade and industrial associations before forming RG Breeden & Associates in Glenview.
In the late 1940s, Breeden bought 75 acres in the country near Wauconda with an eye toward a different endeavor.
"That was his dream," said Rick Breeden, who was involved in the family business until it closed in 2001. "There was a latent farmer in him that took hold after World War II."
His dad started planting apple trees in earnest in 1951, and Wauconda Orchards pick-your-own and a small farm stand opened to the public in September 1959.
The business grew to include a doughnut machine, a store that came to include a Christmas shop and dining room, hay and pony rides and other attractions offering a farm experience.
Dick Breeden moved from Glenview to Wauconda in 1968 and retired to the orchard full-time in 1973. At one point, Wauconda Orchards hosted an estimated 140,000 visitors a year.
"He liked to have a good time and he really enjoyed being with people," Rick Breeden said.
And while Dick Breeden loved Native American lore and culture, Lake NaPaSuWe on the orchard property does not have ties to early settlers but is named for his four daughters - Nancy, Pat, Sue, and Wendy.
Funeral services are delayed until further notice. Arrangements are being handled by N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home in Glenview.