Nathaniel Preston Breed, Jr. died gently on April 27, 2024, in Washington, DC, content to the end of a long and wonderful life.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts on September 26, 1937, Nat attended Middlesex School in Concord, MA and at age 16 earned his pilot’s license. This sparked a love of aviation that influenced his entire career. He spent a few years concentrating in economics at Harvard College where he was a member of the Class of 1960 and of Kirkland House before he joined the Army and served in West Germany. He completed his BA at Babson College (Wellesley, MA) in 1963, followed by a J.D. at the University of Michigan Law School in 1966.
Arriving in Washington, Nat was a Public Defender for a short time, which he remembered with great pride for the rest of his life. He worked at the Civil Aeronautics Board from 1966–1972, a period when change was coming to the aviation industry. In private practice, Nat was a major player in the successful effort by Federal Express to gain Congressional approval for domestic air cargo deregulation. He played a key role in FedEx’s expansion to international markets; he also handled regulatory issues for U.S. and Canadian air carriers until his retirement in 2011. Nat’s choice of career took him all over the globe and he took pride in his commitment to all his clients, large or small. He was an exceptional writer and a great raconteur, lending his signature wit to every conversation.
Nat loved the outdoors. He was a fearless skier and kayaker and he enjoyed walking in Rock Creek Park and along the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal. He cherished many vacations with his family to Utah and the Canadian Rockies. Nat’s love of animals was legendary, from golden retrievers to many cats and even the neighborhood raccoons. He enjoyed opera, choral music, Beethoven, The Blues Brothers, and public television.
Nat was welcomed into the Catholic Church at age 50 and his religion became an important part of his life. He contributed to Catholic Relief Services and organizations supporting refugees and the homeless. Nat was also an ardent supporter of animal welfare groups, including City Wildlife of DC. He would be happy to see donations made to such organizations.
Nat is survived by his wife, Robin White; daughter Stephanie Darga, her husband John, and son Jack Preston; stepdaughter Sarah and her family; sister Liz Pekkala and her family, and many loving cousins, nieces and nephews. Nat will remain in the hearts of all who were lucky enough to know him.
A funeral mass was held on May 17, 2024, at Annunciation Catholic Church, 3810 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington, DC, and the family received guests at Ingleside at Rock Creek, 3050 Military Rd. NW, Washington, DC.
