Marie Chamberlin was the daughter of Frederick William and Jeanne (née Conquest) Chamberlin, and was educated at St Michael's Church England Girls' Grammar School (St Kilda). She married Robert Breen on 12 December 1928. They had three daughters, one of whom, Jeannette Patrick, was the Liberal Member for Brighton, 1976-1985 and Parliamentary Secretary of the Liberal Party, 1979-82.

Marie Breen was a Federal Senator for Victoria for the Liberal Party from July 1962 to June 1968 (retired). Breen's community-based work included her membership of the Victorian Family Council, 1958-78; the Victorian Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, 1970-1978; and the Marriage Guidance Council of Victoria (later Relationships Australia), 1957-1971. Breen was appointed as Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 16 June 1979 for service to the community. She had earlier been appointed an Officer of the British Empire, on 1 January 1958, for her work in the role of State President of the National Council of Women (Victoria).

Sources used to compile this entry: Lofthouse, Andrea (ed.), Who's who of Australian women, Methuen Australia, North Ryde (NSW), 1982, 504 pp; http://www.civ.org.au/volunteers/working_in_cic.doc accessed 14/06/2002).