KAREN EDDA BREITBACH (nee VON OESEN)

October 13, 2026

Karen Edda Breitbach (nee Von Oesen) of Kincardine, died Oct. 13, 2026, at the age of 86. Born in Germany, Nov. 9, 1939, she moved to Toronto with her family as a teenager. Adventurous, spirited and fiercely determined, she crisscrossed Canada and the globe, eventually settling in Orangeville where she raised her two children and started her own business. Known as “Miss Tipperary,” she and her partner, Douglas, pioneered the worldwide distribution of Tipperary equestrian body protector vests and Phoenix bull-riding protective vests. She held several patents for her innovative designs. An avid reader and gardener, she was rarely far from a good book or her vegetable patch. She approached life with a curiosity and independence that never diminished. Karen will be sadly missed and forever in the hearts of her family. Survived by her daughter, Rhonda Kay Breitbach; son-in-law, Daniel Espin; son, Markham Sean Breitbach; granddaughters, Mackenzie and Desiree Breitbach; grandson, Wolf Breitbach; and sister, Judy Turner. Predeceased by her partner of 30 years, Douglas James Cudney; parents, Wilhelm (William) and Anne Lucille (Maier) Von Oesen; and brother, Fred Von Oesen. Condolences may be shared on-line at www.cameronsofkincardine.com.