Floydada VFD's Donald "Cowboy" Wylie poses with members of the Panhandle Firemen's & Fire Marshals Association outside the Floydada Fire Department on May 9, 2022. (Ryan Crowe/FCR)
FLOYDADA – A crowd of firefighters from across the Panhandle gathered at Floydada’s fire hall to say thanks to one of their own Monday night.
Members of the Panhandle Firemen’s & Fire Marshals Associations presented Floydada’s Donald Wylie, better known as ‘Cowboy’, with Honorary Lifetime Membership. The plaque given to Wylie by the organization recognizes “over 50 years of dedicated service to his community and this organization.”
The Panhandle Association is made up of departments from the 38 counties from the Lubbock area to the Oklahoma state line, and is one of 15 regions that make up the State Firefighters’ & Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas.
Wylie’s is only the third lifetime membership ever given by the Panhandle group, with fellow Floydada firefighter Larry Guthrie being given the honor last year. The third firefighter is from Dalhart.
“There are so many firefighters in this state whose lives have been touched by Cowboy,” Panhandle Association Past President Billy Tidwell told the Record. “From serving his community to speaking at firefighter training at Texas A&M. He has been at this longer than many of us have been around.”
“Cowboy’s name is known far and wide,” said Floydada Firefighter Randell Sims, himself a former president in the organization. “You can ask any firefighter and they’ve heard of him.”
Wylie’s wife and granddaughter joined him in accepting the award Monday night.
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