Robert A. Breen

Robert "Antsy" Breen, 89, a North Country legend who famously proved he could outrun a dynasty with only one shoe, crossed his final finish line on Sunday, February 15, 2026 in Ogdensburg.

Arrangements are under the care of Frary Funeral Home and Cremation Services. A memorial service will be held at Notre Dame Church on Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 10:00AM.

Born in Ogdensburg on June 25, 1936, to John and Lillian (Kiah) Breen, Bob was a 1954 graduate of Ogdensburg Free Academy. His legendary grit was forged on the cinder tracks of the North Country; most notably at the 1952 Van Dusen, where a spiked shoe from another runner stripped Bob of his own on the very first turn. Undeterred, he ran 1,740 yards on a jagged cinder track with one bare foot, placing third and earning the lifelong moniker "Barefoot Bob Breen."

His dominance on the track led to an undefeated streak in Section 10 competition and a ranking as one of the top ten runners in New York State. This storied career eventually led him to Syracuse University on a track scholarship and culminated in 2022 with his induction into the OFA-SMA Athletic Hall of Fame. While his daughter Julie holds the official title of City Historian, Bob served as her unofficial "Deputy Historian," always ready to share a firsthand account of the city's past or a detail only a local legend would know.

On November 26, 1956, Bob married Mary Blair at Notre Dame Church. He helped shape the local horizon, driving massive Euclid Trucks during the Seaway construction and working on the Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge. After years with the Sheetmetal Workers' Local Union #58 he served as the City Building Inspector for several years before rejoining the union. He retired with a legacy of hard work and local pride.

An outdoorsman to his core, Bob was happiest hunting, fishing, or racking up ringer after ringer at the Greenbelt horseshoe pits with his lifelong friend Zeke Montroy. In his final days, he found peace watching the river and enjoying fresh perch delivered by his good friend Kenny Tynon.

Bob is survived by his daughter, Julie (Patrick) Madlin; his step-siblings Elaine Alkerton Spooner and Gerry Alkerton; grandchildren Matthew and Kristen Breen; and great-grandchildren Emma and Aiden. He is also survived by his partner, Helen Pierce, who was present for the later chapters of his life.

He was predeceased by his ex-wife, Mary Blair Breen; his son, Jeffrey J. Breen; granddaughter Jessica Brady; and his siblings Betty Kiah, Jack Breen, Virginia Groulx, Mary Louise McNamara, Edward Breen, Ann Munro, and Sheila Cipriani.

In honor of a man who never let a missing shoe stop him, donations may be made to the Ogdensburg History Museum, 330 Ford St.