Funeral Today for Former Little Rock Parks Official
By: KARK 4 News
Updated: October 25, 2012
The funeral is today for a former Little Rock parks official who literally changed the city's landscape.
Julius "Sunny" Breckling, 83, died on Monday.
Breckling served for decades as the Parks and Recreation Director in Little Rock, taking the job in 1962. When he retired, the city dedicated Riverfront Park in his honor because it was his idea to have a series of parks along the Arkansas River in Little Rock and North Little Rock. The "Two Rivers Bridge" completed last year was another of Breckling's ideas.
Services for Breckling begin at 11 o'clock this morning at First Lutheran Church in Hot Springs.
His obituary:
Julius (Sunny) Peter-Herman Breckling, 83, of Hot Springs passed away Monday, October 22, 2012. He was born March 7, 1929 to the late Martha Weigle Breckling and Julius Breckling Sr. in Hot Springs.
Julius graduated from Lakeside High School and Oklahoma State University in 1951. He was the Parks and Recreation Director in Little Rock. When he retired the city dedicated Riverfront Park to him in honor of the work he did on the Parks and Zoo. Then he went on to finish his dream to finish "Two Rivers Park Bridge" on July 8, 2011. At the time of his death, he was continuing to develop Lotus Valley in Hot Springs which he founded. He was a member of First Lutheran Church, member of Garvan Woodland Gardens, on the Board of Directors of Housing Authority for Hot Springs and a member of Fifty for the Future.
He was preceded by his parents, Julius & Martha Breckling; his first wife, Mary Breckling; one daughter, Nancy Green; one stepson, Jimmy Greene and one stepgrandson, Jackson Greene.
Survivors include his wife, Uva Breckling; two brothers, John (Faye) Breckling and Emil Breckling; one daughter, Martha Kay (Sam) Parker; two sons, Steve (Alice) Breckling and James (Renee) Breckling; daughter-in-law, Brenda Breckling; two step daughters, Karen Greene and Cindy (Jim) Mullett; one step son, Marcus (Shelly) Greene; eleven grandchildren, Leslie Parker, Julia Thurber, Todd Parker, Christopher Marlar, Samantha Patrick, Amanda Breckling, Stephanie Breckling, Thomas Breckling, Jeremy Breckling, Logan Breckling and Kaylee Breckling; ten step grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren and three step great grandchildren.
Visitation will be 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM Wednesday at Hot Springs Funeral Home.
Services will be 11:00 AM Thursday at First Lutheran Church with Pastor Jon Beyer officiating. Burial will follow at Shady Grove Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's or First Lutheran Church Building Fund.
Julius "Sunny" Breckling, 83, died on Monday.
Breckling served for decades as the Parks and Recreation Director in Little Rock, taking the job in 1962. When he retired, the city dedicated Riverfront Park in his honor because it was his idea to have a series of parks along the Arkansas River in Little Rock and North Little Rock. The "Two Rivers Bridge" completed last year was another of Breckling's ideas.
Services for Breckling begin at 11 o'clock this morning at First Lutheran Church in Hot Springs.
His obituary:
Julius (Sunny) Peter-Herman Breckling, 83, of Hot Springs passed away Monday, October 22, 2012. He was born March 7, 1929 to the late Martha Weigle Breckling and Julius Breckling Sr. in Hot Springs.
Julius graduated from Lakeside High School and Oklahoma State University in 1951. He was the Parks and Recreation Director in Little Rock. When he retired the city dedicated Riverfront Park to him in honor of the work he did on the Parks and Zoo. Then he went on to finish his dream to finish "Two Rivers Park Bridge" on July 8, 2011. At the time of his death, he was continuing to develop Lotus Valley in Hot Springs which he founded. He was a member of First Lutheran Church, member of Garvan Woodland Gardens, on the Board of Directors of Housing Authority for Hot Springs and a member of Fifty for the Future.
He was preceded by his parents, Julius & Martha Breckling; his first wife, Mary Breckling; one daughter, Nancy Green; one stepson, Jimmy Greene and one stepgrandson, Jackson Greene.
Survivors include his wife, Uva Breckling; two brothers, John (Faye) Breckling and Emil Breckling; one daughter, Martha Kay (Sam) Parker; two sons, Steve (Alice) Breckling and James (Renee) Breckling; daughter-in-law, Brenda Breckling; two step daughters, Karen Greene and Cindy (Jim) Mullett; one step son, Marcus (Shelly) Greene; eleven grandchildren, Leslie Parker, Julia Thurber, Todd Parker, Christopher Marlar, Samantha Patrick, Amanda Breckling, Stephanie Breckling, Thomas Breckling, Jeremy Breckling, Logan Breckling and Kaylee Breckling; ten step grandchildren; eleven great grandchildren and three step great grandchildren.
Visitation will be 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM Wednesday at Hot Springs Funeral Home.
Services will be 11:00 AM Thursday at First Lutheran Church with Pastor Jon Beyer officiating. Burial will follow at Shady Grove Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's or First Lutheran Church Building Fund.
