For the last 40 years, Capt. Leo Cobb has dedicated his time and service to the Troy Fire Department.

Cobb will be retiring in the coming month, but said he was thankful for the time he was able to spend with the fire department.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” Cobb said. “I’ve enjoyed my time with them. It hadn’t been all peaches and cream. You have good times and bad times, but all in all I wouldn’t take anything for it. It’s been a good experience, a good 40 years.”

Over his 40 years, Cobb has seen numerous firefighters come through the fire department and said he’s been able to make lots of friends through the department.

“I’ve made a lot of friends and good coworkers,” Cobb said. “A lot of them became like family. Some of them you’re a little closer with than others, but you’re still more or less brothers because you’re together. You’re working. You’re all pulling the same direction and doing the same job.”

The fire department works in three separate shifts, and through the years Cobb said he has worked the same rotation.

“I’ve been a-shift since day one,” Cobb said. “I never worked a b-shift or c-shift. I’ve always been a-shift since the day I’ve started, and I’m the only person that’s done that.”

Fire Chief Thomas Outlaw has been with the fire department for almost 33 years, and said Cobb was always involved with something.

“He liked to play music,” Outlaw said. “He was big-time into playing his guitar. He’s been real involved in his church. He’s just an all around good guy.”

Outlaw has been with the fire department for 33 years. Outlaw said Cobb adapted well to change.

“The fire department has changed over the years,” Outlaw said. “It used to just be fire calls was all they answered, and now every fire department in larger towns are involved in the EMS part of it. He adapted well when we started doing the EMS type work.”

While Cobb said he would have to get used to all of the free time he will have, he said he was looking forward to being able to spend time with his family and friends. Especially being able to traveling with his wife.

“We’d like to go to Savannah,” Cobb said. “We’ve been twice, but we’d like to go again. We enjoy it over there. We’re looking at Asheville, N.C. My brother and his wife are wanting to go the Grand Canyon.”

Overall, Outlaw said Cobb was a good guy.

“He was good, decent, honest guy,” Outlaw said. “I always enjoyed being around him. He was the kind we could joke. He was just a good guy to be around.”

With retiring, Cobb said he would miss the camaraderie of the firefighters.

“I’ll miss the guys,” Cobb said. “Which I can go by and see them, but it won’t be the same as working with them. I’ll just go by and visit.”