Relying on the Lord: Debra Carr selflessly serves local community and the Lord above

In her 63 years on Earth, Debra “Deb” Carr has weaved an incredible story of thrilling adventure, heartbreaking loss and well-deserved success, and humbly, she attributes it all to the Lord. 

“I rely on the Lord a lot to give me good wisdom, and he is the one who has gotten me where I am today,” she says.

Deb owns and operates WC Sports and Western Wear, a popular one-stop shop proudly perched on Main Street in Newcastle. 

Growing up in ag

Deb grew up the oldest of six girls on her family’s pig farm in Iowa, where she was responsible for every aspect of raising piglets. 

“At the age of eight or nine, I was delivering piglets, cutting off their tails, notching their ears, taking their needle teeth out, giving them shots, all of that stuff,” she shares. “I did everything up to the point where we would kick them out of the farrowing house when they were around six weeks old.” 

When she was old enough to attend high school, Deb wanted to go into vocational agriculture, but the aspiration was shot down by her father. 

“My father wouldn’t let me because I was the only girl in the program, and he didn’t think it was proper,” she points out. 

However, Deb was resilient, and by the time she was a senior, she had convinced her father to join the program, eventually enlisting in her local FFA chapter as well – the only girl in a group of 80-plus guys. 

This didn’t slow her down at all.

When it came time to sell fruit around the holiday season, Deb was the chapter’s top salesman, and at the end of the year, she received bronze, silver and gold honors. 

“Getting into management on the farm as a little girl and being involved in vo-ag throughout high school helped me learn a lot,” Deb notes. “I really believe this is where I got my management skills to run my store, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without my background in agriculture.”

 Establishing the store 

After her years as a student, Deb went on to work as a nurse and a vet tech, before starting up her business in Sioux City, Iowa in 1993. 

In 1997, she unexpectedly lost her father to a heart attack when he was only 56 years old, so Deb decided to leave her home state and settle on the border of South Dakota and Nebraska in Yankton, S.D.

“In 2004, I met my husband. He was a correctional officer in the Springfield Unit. We got married and moved out to Newcastle so he could pursue his career as a wildland firefighter,” Deb shares. 

“At first, it was quite the culture shock,” she laughs. “I grew up in a town the size of Newcastle, so that wasn’t the issue. But where I came from, there was humidity and everything was a lot closer together. We are really far apart out here – Rapid City, S.D. is an hour and half from us, and so is Gillette.” 

But, Deb has grown accustomed to northeast Wyoming and her store continues to thrive in the Newcastle community. 

“I changed my store from a bridal shop when I moved out here,” she states. “The ‘WC’ in our name stands for ‘Wedding Closet,’ but I don’t do much of the wedding stuff anymore.” 

Instead, Deb has adapted her store to fit the needs of the local community, offering everything from National Football League jerseys and shot glasses to flame retardant jeans and steel-toed boots. 

“The best thing I ever put in my store was Cinch and Cowgirl Tuff – it has really made the store come alive,” she remarks. “I also sell American-made candles sourced from Pennsylvania, which is incredible because there isn’t a lot stuff made in the U.S. anymore.” 

Giving back to the community  

During the 13 years WC Sports and Western Wear has warmly invited Wyoming shoppers through its doors, Deb has also selflessly volunteered her time to give back to the community, particularly to youth in the area. 

“After my husband passed, I was a single mother of two girls, and in 2004, my youngest child graduated from high school. The dear Lord has blessed my store for a very long time, so in 2005, I decided to take care of one senior girl and one senior guy on their prom night. I would take care of their dress and tuxedo, but they had to be less fortunate,” notes Deb. 

Upon moving to Newcastle, Deb took her project a step further, getting the local flower shop to donate a boutonniere and corsage and one of the restaurants in town to feed the couple before their big dance. 

“Then I went even further yet, because I got mad about something. And usually something good comes from getting mad,” states Deb. “I got upset because if it wasn’t for one young man’s parents, his prom date wouldn’t have been able to get her hair fixed or her nails done. She couldn’t afford it, so her date’s parents took care of it for her.” 

In response, Deb decided to enlist the help of several volunteers and invite more girls into her shop to do their hair, nails and makeup, free of charge, prior to the prom. 

“I was still trying to target the less fortunate girls in the area, and the Lord said to me, ‘Who is really less fortunate – the girl who has everything or the girl who has nothing?’ This was a big statement to me,” Deb shares. 

Today, Deb invites all girls to her shop for her “Pre-Prom Party,” where she spoils them with trays of vegetables, fruits, meats and cheeses; an assortment of beverages and royalty glam treatment in preparation of their big night. 

Later in the year, on Labor Day Weekend, Deb hosts a Let’s Beat Cancer Together event during Newcastle’s Madness on Main Street. 

“Someone donates a car to me, and I have Minute Man take out all of the fluids and glass,” explains Deb. “Adults pay $10 to choose their size of sledgehammer, and then they get five whacks on the car.” 

Deb explains the event is done in memory of a fallen firefighter – her husband, who lost his courageous battle with cancer – so donations are given to community members to help pay their cancer bills. 

During the holiday season, Deb hosts Painting of the Hands during Newcastle’s Parade of Lights. 

“We paint a child’s hand and squeeze it around a shatterproof Christmas bulb,” she shares. “It is an everlasting handprint that a parent can never get back in that size. For the babies, we do a footprint.” 

Deb points out, “I do a lot of things for kids because kids are the future – if you treat them well, they will come back.” 

With community events held throughout the year and the fact she is the only employee in her store, Deb stays incredibly busy, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. 

“When I was 10 years old, I spent the summer with my great-grandfather on his farm in Anamosa, Iowa, and he told me, ‘Debra Lee, if you ever find a job you love, you will never work a day in your life,’” she shares. “And you know what? It’s so true. I love my business. Even though it has given me some headaches over the years, it has all been worth it.” 

For more information on WC Sports and Western Wear, visit their Facebook Page @W.C.Sports&Western-Wear. 

Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Rounupd. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.