Cara Leona Engstrom McCune was born March 5, 1892 in Huntsville, Utah to Joseph William and Emmaline Anderson Engstrom. She graduated from Weber Academy and attended the University of Utah. Cara married Dr. Ross Hamilton McCune on December 26, 1914 in the Salt Lake City LDS temple. She worked as a librarian and at Weber Academy. She was a member of the Ogden LDS stake Sunday school board and the Mount Ogden stake MIA and relief society board.
Cara was president and member of the Utah Poetry Society and the Blue Quill Writer Club. She was organizer and president of the Children's Hour Club and member and president of the Ogden branch of the National League of American Pen Women. She was also a member of the League of Utah Writers. Cara wrote short stories, articles, and poetry for LDS magazines, newspapers, and national magazines. She was listed in Who's Who of American Women.