Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Tuesday, October 12, 2010 at 06:00:58 :
Marin Independent Journal
Saturday February 1, 1992
EUGENE F. DeBRECHT
Novato resident
Eugene Francis DeBrecht of Novato died Thursday, Jan. 30, 1992, after a brief illness. He was 82.
Mr. DeBrecht was born in 1910 in Johnsburg, Ill. He grew up in Illinois, Missouri and California.
In the late 1920s, he came to San Francisco with his father in their Model A Ford.
He married Katherine Stearns in 1935.
In 1941, he earned a bachelor of arts degree from San Francisco State. He got his master’s degree from Stanford University in 1949.
Mr. DeBrecht joined the National Guard during his years in San Francisco and was in the Army Air Force and later the Air Force. He served as educational officer in Bentwaters, England, during the Korean War, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force Reserves.
He returned to Stanford University and in 1956 earned a doctorate in education. Mr. DeBrecht became assistant superintendent in charge of business at the Novato Unified School District the same year. He retired from the district in 1974.
He was active in the Masonic Lodge and the Kiwanis Club. He also was a member of the School Administrators organizations, St. Francis Episcopal Church and the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America. Most recently, he was a member of the Winifred Baker Chorale, which performed at Carnegie Hall.
He enjoyed flying and piloted a private plane. He studied music for pleasure; in 1980, he received an associate arts degree in music at the College of Marin.
He is survived by his wife, Genevieve DeBrecht of Novato; two sons, Robert DeBrecht of Northport, N.Y., and Kenneth DeBrecht of Cotati; a daughter, Kathy DeBrecht Gallagher of Lafayette; a sister, Antoinette DeBrecht of Salt Lake City, Utah; and six grandchildren.
A service will be held at 4 p.m. Sunday at St. Francis Episcopal Church in Novato.
Memorial contributions may be made to a favorite charity.
Arrangements are by The Neptune Society in San Rafael.
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