Obituary of Nicholas Breschnev

Nicholas Breschnev, 61, of River Forest, IL died August 17, 2023. Devoted husband of Katherine Landsberg; loving son of the late Ivan & Pauline Breschnev; dearest brother of Peter (Nella) Breschnev and Raisa (Timothy) Jeromsky; devoted uncle of Sophia & Michael Jeromsky and Marina, Sophia, & Tatiana Lukianov; nephew of Maria Luppo, Michael Martynovych, Valentina Barbias, & Lida Petrasz; lifelong best friend of John Costopoulos. Nick will also be missed by his many cousins and friends.

Nick was born in Chicago and grew up in Oak Park, attending Hatch School, where he formed a number of lifelong friendships that have endured more than 50 years; he later graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School and attended UIC. With his family, he attended Holy Virgin Protection Russian Orthodox Cathedral, formerly on Kedzie Ave in Chicago and currently in Des Plaines, where he served as an altar server and attended church school. In the summers, he and his siblings attended ORPR Camp in Rock City, Illinois, where he also formed lifelong friendships. As an adult, he was active and instrumental in a project to construct a new cathedral building for the Holy Virgin Protection parish, and he served on the parish’s council as assistant to the church warden and on the diocesan youth committee.

Nick owned and operated a painting and home maintenance business for more than 30 years and counted many of his customers as friends. Nick was known for his ability to make conversation with everyone, his playful humor, his strong opinions, and his warm heart. He loved road trips, gardening, animals, bike riding, and visiting Orthodox churches. He adored his nephew and nieces and liked to joke that all their accomplishments were done under his tutelage.

Visitation 4:00-8:00 p.m. Monday, August 21, 2023 at Muzyka & Son Funeral Home, 5776 W. Lawrence Ave., Chicago, IL. Panikhida/Prayer Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Funeral Service (Otpevaniye) at 10:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 22nd at Holy Virgin Protection Russian Orthodox Cathedral, 1800 Lee Street, Des Plaines, IL. (A Divine Liturgy will be served at 8 a.m. on August 22nd prior to the funeral.) Graveside prayer and burial at St. Vladimir Russian Orthodox Cemetery in Jackson, New Jersey at 12:30 PM on Friday, August 25th.

Donations in Nick’s memory can be made to the Ana Chapman Scholarship Fund of ORPR Camp (Donations to ORPR Camp, Inc., Memo: AC Scholarship in memory of N. Breschnev; mail to ORPR Camp c/o Helen Pregl, 517 Sommers Landing North, Hudson, WI 54016.)