Longtime Torrington resident, Richard Mac Breedlove, or “Rick” as he was known to his family and friends passed away peacefully Monday, May 20th, 2024. Rick was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in December of 2023 and succumbed to the illness, at his home, with his family by his side.
Rick was born on January 18th, 1946, in Coushatta, Louisiana to Joe and Yvonne Breedlove
(Siple), the middle child of three siblings; Roger his older and Ron his younger brother. His family would later relocate to Shreveport, Louisiana where he would spend his childhood and adolescence.
Rick attended Tascosa High School in Amarillo, Texas where he later graduated with the Tascosa Rebels in 1964. After graduating high school Rick would enlist in the United States
Marine Corps where he was stationed at Camp Pendleton in El Toro, California from 1966 to 1968. He would graduate from basic training and later received the National Defense Service Medal and was a decorated rifle sharpshooter. During his time in the USMC he was assigned as a Special Intelligence Officer and remained in active duty through 1968 as Corporal Richard M. Breedlove. He was Honorably Discharged when his reserve obligation ended in January of 1972.
After his service ended, Rick would join his mother and stepfather in Casper, Wyoming where he attended Casper College for two years. In his younger years Rick proved to be an
accomplished baseball pitcher and skier, while he also enjoyed fishing, pheasant and dove
hunting. It was a long-standing joke within the Breedlove family that Rick once skateboarded down Casper Mountain and survived. After finishing his prerequisites at Casper College, Rick enrolled at the University of Wyoming where he would earn a Bachelor’s Degree of Social Work and go on to work for the Wyoming State Penitentiary and then as a probation and parole officer for Goshen County.
Rick married his wife Cindy Rock on July 17, 1982. They began their married life in Torrington, Wyoming while Rick worked as a counselor at St. Joseph’s Children’s Home. He was appointed by Governor Ed Herschler to the State of Wyoming Community Programs Advisory Council and held office from July 1985 to July 1988. While in Torrington Rick and Cindy welcomed the eldest of their three children Betsy and Rhett. During this time Rick accepted a position with the Department of Family Services in Torrington, Wyoming. He later moved his family to Riverton, Wyoming in 1991 where he accepted a position as District Manager for the Department of Family Services. There, Rick and Cindy welcomed their third child, Ross. Here, he tirelessly dedicated his time and energy for the remainder of his career until he retired in 2006 and moved back to Torrington.
Rick always prided himself on his sobriety. In 1986, when his daughter Betsy was two, Rick
made the conscious decision to refocus and replace drinking with something active, positive, and healthy. He decided to “try his hand” at the game of golf. It became his lifelong love and passion, later sharing his love of the sport with all three of his children, especially his sons Rhett and Ross. To Rick, a golf course was the most peaceful, beautiful sanctuary he could have; and would greatly help him in his 38-year commitment to sobriety. He always joked that he “was an excellent drinker but an even better golfer.” He had the joy of experiencing not one but 3 holes in-one during his lifetime. As any golfer knows and knows well, being able to “shoot your age” after turning 72 is an amazing accomplishment. He was able to do so until his diagnosis in December. The last time he played golf he shot a solid 76, something he was so incredibly proud of.
His first “brush with death” happened on the golf course in Torrington on Leap Day, 2008 when he suffered sudden cardiac arrest. He said they brought him back to life to live long enough to get cancer, but he was able to add sixteen amazing years to his life.
In addition to his love of golf, Rick was also an avid reader and academic of U.S. and world
history, who possessed a near encyclopedic knowledge of certain subjects. During his years of retirement Rick would read hundreds of non-fiction historical writings. His record of doing so is obvious in the Goshen County Library receipts his family recently discovered.
It should be duly noted Rick was a strong, vocal advocate of equality for people of all
backgrounds, social status, religion, sexuality and gender. His life’s work was dedicated to lifting people up and always rooting for the underdog. He loved seeing people succeed. Rick was a dedicated leader, mentor, and friend to dozens of prospective social workers, children, and families in Wyoming. Rick is known by his loved ones for his quick wit, sense of humor, intelligence, compassion, gracious generosity and no-nonsense personality. He loved friendly banter and his cheeky personality was unmatched, but he also loved whole-heartedly, and he loved deeply.
Rick is survived by his loving wife Cindy Breedlove of 42 years, his children Betsy and husband Jared Mejorado of Rock Springs, Wyoming, Rhett and wife Leilani Breedlove of Torrington, and Ross and wife Laura Breedlove of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Rick had a special relationship with his teenage granddaughters Emery and Josie Harmon of Pinedale, Wyoming, vowing to be in their lives even though they lived so far away. He recently was blessed with his first grandson Ryan Breedlove and shortly thereafter Rory Breedlove, both residing in Cheyenne, Wyoming. He always said he loved his family more than they would ever know. He is also survived by Leilani’s son Miguel Mapue of Norfolk, Virginia, brother Roger Breedlove of Alexandria, Louisiana, brother-in-law Thomas Eaton of Torrington, Wyoming, stepmother Betty Breedlove of Shreveport, Louisiana, and two step brothers. He will be deeply missed by Cindy’s siblings, his nieces and nephews and the Griffin, Frost, and Starbuck families. He has friends near and far that meant the world to him. There are far too many of his friends to mention; please know he loved you dearly and talked of you often. He was preceded in death by his mother Yvonne, stepfather Don Siple his father Joe, younger brother and respected friend Ron, mother-in-law Rosalie Eaton and father-in-law Mel Eaton.
Cremation has taken place and as a die-hard Pokes fan, a celebration of life will take place at War Memorial Stadium in the Fall. (Details to come.) His ashes will be buried close to his dear friend and “brother,” Lynn Frost, in the Oregon Trail State Veteran’s Cemetery in Evansville, Wyoming. In lieu of flowers, memorials honoring Rick can be sent to the Eastern Wyoming College Golf Team, in care of the EWC Foundation. Kindly make checks payable to EWC Foundation/Golf Team, 3200 West C, Torrington, WY 82240 or donate online at: https://ewcfdn.fcsuite.com/erp/donate. Donations can also be made to the Goshen County Library. Checks can be mailed or taken to the Goshen County Library, 2001 East A, Torrington, WY 82240.