Harold Jim Breaux

Harold J. Breaux passed away in his home on December 5, 2023 after a recurrence of lymphoma.

Harold was a man of great intellect, resilience, generosity and love. Born and raised in Louisiana, Harold married Priscilla Fabris in 1962 in Nutley, NJ. They lived in Aberdeen, MD for more than 50 years and raised three children: Mary, Susan and Mark. Most recently, Harold and Priscilla lived in Bel Air, MD.

Harold had a 50-year career at the Ballistic Research Laboratory (BRL) and its successor organization, the Army Research Laboratory (ARL), at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He served two years as an ordnance project officer, 33 years as a research mathematician, and 15 years as a consultant on high performance computing, including the acquisition of supercomputers for the U.S. Department of Defense.

Harold was a fellow emeritus of the BRL and the ARL. His career efforts garnered numerous awards, including the R. H. Kent Award and the Army Research and Development Achievement Award. He authored more than 40 government publications and 12 refereed journal articles. In 2010, the ARL named its fastest and newest supercomputer the “Harold” in honor of his lifetime contributions to the Laboratory and the Army.

Harold was born in Raceland, Louisiana in 1938. Proud of his Cajun roots, he researched the genealogy of both his Breaux and LeBlanc ancestors, sharing that knowledge with his extended family and others. He was an avid gardener, enjoyed refinishing furniture, and coached little league baseball and basketball. A graduate of Louisiana State University, Harold was an enthusiastic fan of LSU athletics – especially football! In his retirement, Harold wrote extensively, publishing a book and authoring papers on Acadian genealogy and American politics. He was a frequent writer of letters to the editor, particularly the Wall Street Journal and New York Times. He maintained a blog featuring his writings titled Complex Politics (https://complexpolitics.org/about/).

Harold was a nearly 12-year survivor of pancreatic cancer and also conquered prostate cancer and two types of non-Hodgkins lymphoma. His life story, professional accomplishments, graciousness and resilience in the face of challenges inspired all who knew him.

In 2012, the Harford County Maryland Cultural Arts Board named Harold Breaux a “Harford Living Treasure” for his lifetime contributions to the county.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Priscilla Breaux; his daughter Mary Toler, son-in-law Richard and their children Emily and Benjamin; his daughter Susie McShea, son-in-law Michael and their children Ryan, Timothy and Madeline; his son Mark Breaux; his niece Stephanie Vogt; and his nephews Jeffrey Guidrey and Bobby Forest. Harold was predeceased by his sisters Barbara Forest and Grace Roy.

Family and friends are invited to a visitation on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. at Tarring-Cargo Funeral Home, 333 South Parke Street, Aberdeen, MD. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Joan of Arc Church, 222 Law Street, Aberdeen, MD on Wednesday, December 13, 2023 at 10 a.m. Burial will be at Harford Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in honor of Harold Breaux may be made to The American Cancer Society or St. Joan of Arc Parish.