Breck McCarty
On Oct. 20, 2021, Breck Irene Spear McCarty, age 43, died and gained her angel wings after a lengthy journey with metastatic breast cancer. Breck was born to Kenneth Spear and Connie (Fleenor) Swain on March 24, 1978, in Cheyenne, Wyoming. She later gained two additional parents to love her as their own: Stanley Swain and Velta Spear.
Breck grew up in Cheyenne, where she graduated from Central High School in 1996, and went on the University of Wyoming, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in zoology and physiology with a minor in psychology in 2000. Following this, she achieved her lifelong dream of becoming a physician when she graduated from the University of Washington School of Medicine with her doctorate in medicine in 2004.
She completed her family medicine residency in Rapid City, South Dakota, in 2007. It was in Rapid City that she met her husband and true love, Craig McCarty. Breck and Craig have one child together, Jacob Robert McCarty, born April 2, 2011. Additionally, Breck was a loving stepmom to Craig’s two older children, Nicole and Clay McCarty.
Breck enjoyed many hobbies, including traveling, reading, crafts, wine paint nights with friends, and going to dinner theaters and plays. In 2019, she went on the trip of a lifetime with Craig and Jake to Europe, where they took a whirlwind tour through seven countries. She also loved traveling around the United States, with a favorite destination being Walt Disney World.
Her passion for life and adventure was infectious and inspiring to those who were lucky enough to know her.
Breck’s breast cancer journey started in 2007, when she was diagnosed with Stage II breast cancer at the age of 29. Not long after her five-year “cancerversary,” she was diagnosed with Stage IV (metastatic) breast cancer at the age of 34 years. She then began what would be lifelong life-extending treatments that varied and rotated as the cancer slowly progressed. Dr. Breck, as she was affectionately known by her patients, continued to work as long as she was able. She medically retired in 2020 as the result of both cancer symptoms and medication side effects.
Breck touched and impacted many lives and will be greatly missed by so many. Her love for her family and friends and her compassionate care for her patients will never be forgotten.
Breck is survived by her husband of 13 years, Dr. Craig McCarty of Holyoke; her son, Jacob (age 10) of Holyoke; her stepchildren, Nicole (age 20) and Clay (age 18) of Box Elder, South Dakota; her parents, Connie and Stan Swain and Ken and Velta Spear, all of Cheyenne; and her siblings and their families, Kevin and Serenity Moffett (and Blair and Graham) of Cheyenne, Ashley Spear and Mike Czabaj (and Luke) of Salt Lake City, Utah, Mason Swain (and Brenden and Braxton) of Cedar Bluff, Alabama, and Kenzie Spear of Cheyenne, Wyoming.
A celebration of life will be held Saturday, Nov. 13, at 2:30 p.m. at the Haxtun United Methodist Church, with Pastor Jeri Soens officiating.
Memorials may be made to Inheritance of Hope, P.O. Box 155, Seneca, SC 29769, https://inheritanceofhope.org.
Baucke Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.