Carole Ann Breckenridge

Carole was called to heaven unexpectedly on the morning of Thursday, February 1, 2024 surrounded by her three loving children. Until called to be with the Lord, Carole was smiling, happy and lovingly teasing those around her to make them smile and feel at ease. Carole’s beautiful personality, smile and laugh were always positive, charming and full of warmth. Carole was a loving and beloved wife, sister, daughter, and mother of 3 children, 8 grandchildren, and aunt to 7 nieces and nephews. She was able to positively influence the lives of hundreds of students and families over the years, through simply living by the Golden Rule of doing unto others as she would wish done unto her. Carole was a friend to many and will be greatly missed by everyone whose heart she touched.

Carole was born in Bisbee, AZ to Richard H. and Elizabeth K. “Betty” Johnson on August 25, 1943. She grew up on Hazzard Street in the Warren area of Bisbee, making many wonderful friends there. She was always wanting to be outside playing or chasing and riding any horses she could catch. She loved scouring the hills for rock treasures and enjoyed exploring the mountains during the week’s long deer hunting trips the entire family would take in the Chiricahua mountains near Rucker Lake, AZ. She attended Greenway Elementary School, Lowell Middle School and graduated from Bisbee High School in 1961. During her teenage years Carole enjoyed spending time with her friends, playing tennis and being a disc jockey listening to and playing music records for the KSUN radio station in Bisbee. She always had a knack for relating the lyrics and bringing music into life’s moments to make them more fun and enriching.

Carole attended Arizona State University where she was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and enjoyed the adventure and college life in Tempe, AZ. Carole graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education in the summer of 1964, just three years after starting at ASU. While at ASU she met the love of her life and future husband Jim Breckenridge. They spent significant time together and loved exploring the Tempe area. Jim and Carole were married in Bisbee, AZ on August 25, 1964 in a small, beautiful ceremony surrounded by family and friends at the Community Church of Warren and the next day moved to Camp Lejune, NC where Jim was serving in the US Marine Corps. Carole started her teaching career at the Camp Lejune base elementary school, and stayed teaching while Jim was deployed to the Bay of Pigs and Vietnam war.

Upon reuniting after Vietnam and leaving the US Marine Corps in 1966, Jim and Carole returned to Bisbee, AZ and Carole began teaching at Pirtleville School near Douglas, AZ while Jim worked in the copper mines in Bisbee. After about a year, Jim and Carole settled near McNeal, AZ and Carole began teaching at Elfrida Elementary School. After a couple of years at Elfrida Elementary School, Carole moved to McNeal Elementary School in McNeal, AZ. She adored teaching at the three-room country schoolhouse in McNeal. She found her passion teaching all subjects to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades and later also served as the Head Teacher for several years at McNeal Elementary. Carole retired from teaching in 2004 after a 40-year career as a teacher and educator. Carole was a life-long learner and loved helping kids to be their best selves. Carole always enjoyed running into students and delighted in hearing about the lives they lead. In 2023, Richard Anderson, Valley Union High School Principal and a student of Carole’s, recognized her achievements as an educator and person during the Valley Union graduation ceremonies – she was honored and extremely grateful.

As Carole was teaching and Jim was farming, their family grew over several years, welcoming daughter Carrie and sons Jim and Jay. The family worked hard together on the farm growing crops and tending to the various livestock. Carole loved animals and pets, especially the family’s German Shepherd dogs and Quarter Horses. Loving to ride horses her whole life, she especially loved going on rides around their McNeal ranch with Jim on their Quarter Horses Thor and Sassie.

After her first love of spending time with family, especially her grandchildren, Carole loved to spend time being a rock hound, gardening, reading books, and watching romance and mystery television programs – there wasn’t a “fire agate,” flower bulb, Nancy Drew book, Hallmark channel movie or NCIS episode she didn’t like. She especially loved the excitement of watching the birds frequenting her home in McNeal, especially the colorful Vermillion Flycatchers, Orioles and hummingbirds – her trusty binoculars were never far from reach. She would smile and laugh at the hummingbirds zooming around, swooping and diving at each other. The antics of the birds and unique personalities of the family’s pets brought a lot of fun and joy to Carole.

Carole will be greatly missed, and our family finds peace in Carole being called to walk with our Lord in Heaven rejoining friends and family members who’ve passed before her. Our family is extremely grateful for the fantastic and compassionate care given to Carole by the people and teams of the Elfrida Volunteer Fire Department, the Copper Queen Hospital, Life-Flight Helicopter Service, Lincare, Tucson Medical Center Intensive Care Unit, Select Specialty Care Hospital and East Lawn Palms Mortuary.

Carole is survived by her daughter Carrie Vasquez (Breckenridge), her husband Miguel “Mike” Vasquez, and their children Miguel “Mikey” Vasquez, Juliana Keating, Jamie Vasquez and Angela Vasquez; her son, James “Jim” Breckenridge, his wife Elisa Breckenridge, and their children Ellisandra “Elli” Breckenridge and Jayse Breckenridge; and her son, Jay Breckenridge, his wife Cynthia Breckenridge, and their children Jaydan Breckenridge, Jonathan Breckenridge, Camryn Breckenridge and Carter Breckenridge. Carole is also survived by her brother, Richard Johnson, his wife Mary Lou “Lulu” Johnson, with their children Anissa Johnson and Daniel Johnson and families. Additionally, she is survived by nieces and nephews, Mike and Tobi Puzzi and family; Troy Puzzi and family; Michelle Edge and family; and Todd and Mia Edge and family. She is also survived by her brother-in-law John Breckenridge and niece Brenda Weiand and family.

Carole was preceded in death by her husband James “Jim” Breckenridge; father, Richard H. Johnson; mother, Elizabeth “Betty” K. Johnson; sister, Margaret Edge and husband Walter Edge; and brother-in-law Stephen Puzzi.

The family is planning a celebration of life for Carole to be held at a future date. Expressions of sympathy can be sent to the Vasquez and Breckenridge families at PO Box 99, McNeal, AZ 85617. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Carole’s name to the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, Ash Canyon Bird Sanctuary (www.SABO.org) or to the Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees in a needing forest (www.arborday.org).