ALMOST 25 years before Regis Philbin began asking players of the popular 1990s game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” if they wanted to “phone a friend,” Donald Floyd and Wickey Parker have done just that. What began as a way for them to buy, sell, and trade livestock with each other developed into several businesses after they agreed to, as Wickey called it, “partner up.”
“I had been buying pigs from Donald for a while,” said Wickey. “Then he bought a bunch of beef cattle from me. I was bringing Holstein heifers here from Pennsylvania, and after we formed our first business, Parker and Floyd Livestock, there were times we had over 100 calves that had to be bottle fed between the both of us.”
The two have now sustained a friendship that spans over five decades and has included teaming up to buy and sell real estate, operating a commercial tree-cutting business, and managing a country store called Fairfield Pike Market.
They have also weathered tough storms, such as the time Wickey spent 10 weeks in a full body cast after the two were involved in a head-on vehicle collision in 1989. During Wickey’s grueling recovery, Donald cared for him while also making sure their businesses continued to run smoothly. Several years later, it was Wickey’s turn to repay Donald’s kindness after he broke both of his legs while cutting timber.
“They both pitched in and helped each other during difficult times,” recalled Donald’s son, Jeff Floyd. “They were both willing to compromise and had a willingness to help each other. That’s how they have sustained their friendship through the years.”
Wickey said, “I’ve been here all my life except in 1966 while I served in the United States Army for two years after I graduated from Coffee County Central High School. I’ve been married to my wife, Pat, for 56 years. We have six children — four boys and two girls — plus 21 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren, with another on the way. I sold insurance from 1968 to 1979. Then, I went into the real estate and auction business in the 1980s. I’ve held many fundraisers and auctions to help raise money for others going through difficult circumstances because after I was hurt, others stepped up to help me.”
Wickey’s son, Kenneth Parker, said, “I learned to have a good work ethic by watching my dad. He is the definition of loyalty and forgiveness. He is loved by everyone, and his steadfast presence has been evident in all of his kids. We have a large family by blood and some by marriage, but we are all family to him. There were always extra people at our dinner table because Dad welcomed them.”
Kenneth went on to say, “Even though Dad and Donald dissolved their partnerships in 2012 as they were planning for the future and knew they were getting older, their friendship has remained strong. We also credit our wives for helping nurture and encourage our relationships with each other. The bond between both of our families has always been strong, but now that Jeff ’s son, Blake, has married my niece, Kelsey, and they have a growing family of their own now, we are forever bonded together.”
After working as an insurance agent for Farm Bureau for 20 years, in August 2021, Jeff Floyd became the agency manager of the newest location on North Main beside Dunkin’. Kenneth Parker was an agent at the Coffee County-Tullahoma office. Over the course of his lifetime, Jeff observed the friendship shared by his dad, Donald, and Kenneth’s dad, Wickey, and he wondered if they could “partner up,” too.
“Once the business took off in 2021, within one year, we grew enough to need a second agent. I talked to Kenneth and our home office about him coming back ‘home’ to Bedford County to work here with me. It took a little over a year for him to make the transition, but as of March 2024, we are finally working here together.”
Taking into consideration the needs of his four children, who were deeply rooted in Coffee County, Kenneth knew a move back wouldn’t be easy, but in the end, the excitement he felt at working alongside his longtime friend gave him the confidence he needed to make his decision.
“Bedford County is home to me,” said Kenneth. “Although it is growing rapidly, the core values of the people here have remained the same.” GN
