In Memory of our dear brother.
Wyman Owens, Jr.

Our association lost one of its stalwarts this year. Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch Alumni Association Board Member Wyman Owens, Jr, slipped away to his eternal rest in the morning hours of September 22, 2007.

Our brother and friend Wyman was powerful influence on the alumni association board—influence born out of his intense passion to support his alumni brothers and sisters. In times of conflict, he was a calming, unifying force, and had a gift for putting things in proper perspective, cutting to the heart of a matter and refocusing energy toward true mission.

He was intelligent and wise and commanded respect. He adapted to change, as evidenced by his willingness to become computer savvy at his age. And he truly fit the Boys Rancher archetype—mischievous, cunning and fun. We will all miss his good natured harassment, and his easy laugh. Wyman had six sons and was father figure to a seventh—a young man whose dad had died and who he hired contingent on him taking college classes, doing his homework and maintaining a B average—something that Cal Farley himself might have done. In his 44 years of marriage to Lynelle, Wyman built a strong, cohesive family. He came from troubled circumstances, but broke cycle of dysfunction. In his life, Cal and Mimi Farley’s dream came true. They would have been very proud.

Wyman completed a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps, studied accounting at UCLA, worked in cost control the semiconductor industry, owned his own business, had farming and ranching interests, served as a city councilman and two separate tours of duty on our association’s board of directors. He was instrumental in developing many of the policies now in place and especially enjoyed working on the scholarship, special needs and executive committees.

Wyman was born in Los Angeles in 1936 came to Boys Ranch in 1949. His aunt and uncle brought him from California to see Cal Farley in Amarillo and then made the trip northwest of town on what was then but a narrow, winding strip of dirt road to this place called Boys Ranch only to find that the Canadian River, at flood stage that day, had washed out the road. To get to his new life at the Ranch, Wyman waded across the brown, swollen channel carrying all of his belonging in a suitcase carried on his shoulder.

Wyman has again crossed the river to a better life. Our friend and board member Aaron Alejandro stated Wyman’s life philosophy succinctly when he said that Wyman was “one of those who, before crossing the river, would put down some rocks to help the next soul to cross the river behind him.” He devoted his life to helping others and in doing so, reflected the image of his Savior Jesus Christ and of his hero, Cal Farley. His example challenges all of us.

Please consider honoring the life of this dear brother by giving to the Wyman Owens Scholarship fund. 

Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch Alumni Association
ATTN:  Wyman Owens Scholarship Fund
PO Box 9435
Amarillo, TX 79105

He will always be a BR Brother.