Arden D. Bowman Sr.

Elected:       January 15, 1995

Inducted:    May 18, 1995

History:      Arden D. Bowman, Sr. (Pap) was born in Roanoke, Virginia, July 25, 1913.  He joined the army where he served under General George S. Patton during World War II.  While under General Patton’s command, Pap served as his mechanic and personal jeep designer.  In 1943, Pap married Gaynelle H. Bowman, daughter of Aubrey Brian Collier and had two sons, Arden D. Bowman, Jr. and Mark Collier Bowman, Sr.  After the death of Mr. A.B. Collier in 1946, Pap took over the operation of the first wrecker service in Nashville.  He worked closely with W.T. Stringfellow and the Mike Wiley Co. to help them design the first wreckers made in Nashville.  He formulated the Metro Ordinance dealing with the zoning of the city for wrecker services.  He was one of the founders of the Interstate Towing Association.  He was also a founder of the first Tennessee Towing Association which was a group of Nashville towers and was its first president.  Since he and his wife took over the business in 1946, A.B. Collier Wrecker Service, Inc. has grown to be the biggest in the State of Tennessee.  This is directly contributed to Pap’s business sense, honesty and hard work.  He drove wreckers and dispatched until 1988 when he semi-retired.  He now runs parts for the mechanics and continues to dispatch on the weekends and at night.  Pap’s entire family from his wife Gaynelle, whose father founded A.B. Collier Wrecker Service, Inc., to his granddaughters, Melody and Tiffany and his grandson Mark, Jr. are active in the business today.

DECEASED – January 25, 2007