Margaret Formby, former National Cowgirl Hall of Fame Director, Dies in Texas

Posted in News on April 16, 2003

Margaret Clark Formby, former Director of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame and the wife of retired BMI Board member J. Clint Formby, died April 10 at her home in Hereford, Texas. She was 73.

A native of Van Horn, Texas, Mrs. Formby was a former high school teacher and News Director at the KPAN radio station in Hereford. In recognition of her numerous church and civic involvements, she was named Hereford's "Woman of the Year" in 1983, among many community honors she was awarded. In 1975 she helped organize and establish the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame in Hereford, the only museum in the world dedicated to honoring and documenting the lives of women who have distinguished themselves while exemplifying the pioneer. Mrs. Formby served as Director of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame from 1976 to 1994, and was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1994, the year the NCMHOF relocated to Ft. Worth.

She was editor of the Hall of Fame's magazine, Sidesaddle, a board member and volunteer for the All Girl Rodeos in Hereford, and a 1993 inductee to the Texas Tech Rodeo Hall of Fame. Other accolades included Texas Plains Girl Scouts' "Woman of Distinction," Mirabellamagazine's "Fearless Woman," American Cowboy Culture Society's "Pioneer Woman Award" and being named to "100 That Made a Difference: History Makers Of the High Plains" by the Amarillo Globe-News. In addition to her husband, Mrs. Formby is survived by her daughter Brenda Formby and sons Chip, Marshall and Scott Formby; a sister, Mary Beth Powell; and four grandchildren. The family has requested memorial gifts be made to the Deaf Smith County Friends of the Library (211 East 4th Street, Hereford, TX 79045) or the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame (1720 Gendy Street, Ft. Worth, TX 76107).

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