Tecarie Marie Czarnecki returned to St Augustine

Today at about 12:00 noon, Historic City News has been notified that the remains of 43-year-old Captain Tecarie Marie Czarnecki will be returned to St Augustine. Czarnecki had just completed her 19th year of service to the Florida National Guard.

Members of the St Johns County Sheriff’s Office, and other law enforcement agencies, will join the motorcade and provide an honors escort from I-95 to the St Johns Family Funeral Home on SR-207.

Czarnecki, and Sergeant David Stone of Starke, left their convoy to render aide to a disabled motorist as they traveled to a training event near Tallahassee. Both were struck by a passing motor vehicle. Czarnecki died at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare from injuries sustained in the accident.

According to family, Czarnecki lived in St Augustine. She was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and grew up in New Smyrna Beach. She was a 1988 graduate of New Smyrna Beach High School and enlisted in the Florida Army National Guard in December 1993 as a medical specialist.

She continued her education and later graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Central Florida in 1999, and earned a Master of Science degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

With a deep commitment to serving her country, she graduated at the top of her class from the Florida National Guard Officer Candidate School in 2003, and was commissioned as a Military Intelligence officer. She was assigned to the 44th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team in July 2005 where she served as the nuclear medical science officer. Tecarie was highly skilled at her job and loved serving her country.

On a personal level, she was a free spirit who enjoyed fishing, traveling, cooking, and always lived every day to the fullest. She will forever be remembered as an amazing daughter, true friend, professional soldier and skilled scientist. She will be deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.

She is survived by her parents, Betty and Mark Armstrong of Charlotte, N.C.; her partner, Kevin McNaught; and children, Hallie and Carson of St. Augustine; her godson, Ethan LeMand, and his parents, who are lifelong friends, Erick and Kristie LeMand of New Smyrna Beach.

A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, September 16th on the Parade Field at the St Francis Barracks in St Augustine. In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations in her memory be made to: Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675.