Dr. David Breen; Former Holy Cross Chief of Staff

Dr. David Breen, former chief of staff of Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills, who helped rebuild the hospital after the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, has died at his Northridge home. He was 67.

He died Saturday of complications from a chronic neurological disorder, said his wife, Judy Breen.

Breen, born in Ireland, attended medical school there. In 1961, he became a staff surgeon at Holy Cross Medical Center, and he served as chief of staff of the medical center in 1971 and 1972, according to personnel records.

After the earthquake hit on Feb. 9, 1971, he directed the evacuation of patients to other hospitals and assisted in rebuilding the medical center. He retired in 1985.

Breen also was in private practice with the Facey Medical Group in Mission Hills for 25 years.

He is survived by his wife of eight years; a son, Stephen Breen of Tulare, Calif.; daughters, Mary Breen of El Cerrito, Calif., and Amy Breen of Northridge; stepsons Michael Heric and William Heric of Northridge; a stepdaughter, Vicki Heric of Northridge; brothers Paddy, Tony, Martin and John Breen, all of Waterford, Ireland; and a sister, Mollie Gahan of Kilkenny, Ireland.

A Mass is scheduled to be celebrated at 10 a.m. today at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 18115 Sherman Way in Reseda. Burial will follow at Oakwood Memorial Park in Chatsworth. Bastian & Perrott Mortuary in Northridge handled the arrangements.