March 28, 2011/CHATTANOOGA, TN – Five outstanding industry leaders have been selected for induction into the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame as the Class of 2011.

Heather A. Llewellyn (Nova Scotia, Canada), John D. “Doug” McLendon (Sanford, FL), Donald J. Mesaros (Loveland, OH), Eilís M. Murray (Wicklow, Ireland), and Timothy J. Vibert (Unionville, CT) were nominated by members of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum for their many contributions to the towing and recovery industry, their families and their communities.
“Each year, the inductees share common strengths which have led to their nomination into this prestigious group,” says Rolfe Johnson, President of the International Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum.
“This year’s inductees share a dedication to their state and local towing organizations as well as the national towing and recovery community.”
Hall of Fame members will be recognized at an induction ceremony to be held at 6 p.m. on September 17th, 2011 at the DoubleTree Hotel of Chattanooga. A full weekend of activities will be held to celebrate this year’s inductees. For more information on the induction ceremony, or to order tickets, call Cheryl Mish at 423-267-3132.
The International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum is the only one in the world for the Towing Industry.  It was opened September 22, 1995.  There are 18 antique tow trucks on display along with memorabilia from the industry.  Chattanooga, Tennessee was the chosen site for the museum as Ernest Holmes, Co. built the first wreckers there in the early 1900’s.  The museum is currently located at 3315 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN.  37408.

From Footnotes TowBlog: Towing News Around The Web
(www.thetowblog.com)
Posted by Cyndi Kight, Associate Editor of Towing and Recovery Footnotes

The post 2011 Hall of Fame Inductees Announced By ITRHF appeared first on .

Here’s his obituary:

William “Frank” Thomas, Jr., 86, went home to be with the Lord on May 4, 2011.

Mr. Thomas is preceded in death by his wife, Mildred Louise Thomas; parents, William Franklin Thomas, Sr, and Sadie Morgan Thomas: sister, Frances Thomas Sontag (Charles); brothers: Wallace M. Thomas, Eugene Samuel Thomas (Wanda), Charles Scott Thomas, Sr. (Elizabeth).

Mr. Thomas served in the Army during WWII where he was commissioned to maintain aircraft in Mobile, Al. He retired from Dover Corporation in 1989 where he was in sales and traveled the world. Upon his retirement he became curator of the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum in Chattanooga, TN. For many years he wrote “Pop’s Corner” for the Museum View Newsletter where he kept his friends and members updated with past and present history of the industry. He appeared in national and international television and radio programming promoting the museum and Chattanooga, Tn. He was honored to be a member in the Hall of Fame at the museum. He will be missed by his loving family and his many friends.

Survivors include four children: Richard E. (Angela) Thomas of Moneta, Va., Mary F. Bunch and Lyndia S. Thomas of Red Bank and Nora (Bobby) Faulkenberry of Ringgold, Ga; five grandchildren and four great grandchildren.

Memorial contributions may be made to the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum, 3315 Broad St., Chattanooga TN 37408.

Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m. Saturday, May 7th at Lane Funeral Home, Ashland Terrace with Dr. Phil Griffin officiating. Interment will follow in Hamilton Memorial Gardens. Visitation is be 4:00 – 8:00 pm Thursday and Friday, May 5th and May 6th at Lane Funeral Home, 601 Ashland Terrace . Visit www.lanefh.com to view LifeTribute video and share condolences.

The post Sad News From TN appeared first on .

Viewing times may vary according to the level of participation and the museum is not able to guarantee days that features will play. However, the ITRHFM will provide at least 30 days of exposure throughout the year. The fee is $150.

This new program has a dual benefit: participating organizations are featured to museum visitors and the support allows the museum to continue to grow and expand. With 2011 being the “kick-off’ year, the ITRHFM is also offering a limited viewing time during the 2011 Induction weekend at no additional cost. This is only a one time offer and will not be repeated in 2012. The set “annual” calendar for these DVDs will be from September to September every year hereafter.

If organizations are not able to produce their own DVD, the museum will be happy to help. Pictures can be emailed to the museum and the staff will create the DVD. The fee is based on the number of pictures submitted and all submissions will be reviewed and edited by the museum for inclusion on the DVD. The cost is $50 for up to 50 images; $75 for 51 to 75 images; $100 for 79 to 100 images.

The cost includes at least two advertising slides, as long as complete company information is provided along with a company logo. All pictures should be submitted via e-mail. If the organization is not able to provide scanned photos, the museum is able to help at no charge.

Though participation is not limited to just museum members, purchasing a membership is requested. For inclusion on the DVD, the cost for non-museum members is $10 per photo; the cost for museum members is $5 per photo.

All submissions must be made no later than Aug. 15, 2011. All photos that are submitted will be reviewed and accepted by ITRHFM before being published.

All submissions must be made directly via e-mail to internationaltowingmuseum@comcast.net and accompanied by a signed release form by the organization submitting the picture authorizing ITRHFM to use the picture at their discretion.

For more information on either the Collector’s Edition DVD or the “Spotlight” program, contact the Intemational Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame & Museum by phone 423-267-3132, fax 423-267-0867, email to internationaltowingmuseum@comcast.net or by mail to 3315 Broad Street, Chattanooga, TN 37408. The website is http://www.internationaltowingmuseum.org.

The post ITRHFM News appeared first on .

‘via Blog this’

Here is his obituary:

Jerry Lee Bullock was born in Walla Walla, Washington on January 14, 1942. He passed away at his home in West Linn, Oregon on Friday, October 7, 2011. Jerry was 69 years of age when he passed from congestive heart failure and COPD.

Jerry is survived by his wife of 43 years, Georgia “Jo” Bullock; his children Jim (Debbie), Dawn (Rick), Dana, Dean (Debbie), and Lori; his nephews Lance Bullock and L.G. Bullock (their children Ryan, Hannah, and Gracie); his grandchildren Shelley, Cassandra, Matt, Robin, Nicolas, Shaylah, and Samuel; his great-grandchildren Alyssa, Brooklyn, Maggie, Camryn, and Elijah; he is further survived by his beloved companion dog, Bandit. Jerry was preceded in death by his mother Theda L. Kerr Bullock, his father Wallace F. Bullock, and his brother Daniel Wallace Bullock.

Jerry grew up in Milton-Freewater, Oregon and graduated from McLoughlin Union High School in June 1960. On September 3, 1968, Jerry married Georgia “Jo” Lee Wilding; who brought along her five children, Jim age 16; the twins Dawn and Dana, age 12; Dean, age 11; and Lori, age 7.

Jerry worked for Key Brothers Ranches, hauling peas and wheat. He moved on to work for Pendleton Frozen Foods hauling throughout the United States. He then worked for Dee Thomason Ford in Lake Oswego, Oregon and drove a tow truck part-time for Bill Nelson. Eventually, Jerry bought Nelson Towing and changed the name to Bullock Towing. He sold his company in 1985 and moved on to building tow trucks at Jerry Bullock Enterprises, Inc. in Sherwood, Oregon.

Jerry was instrumental in forming the Independent Towing Operators of Oregon, which eventually merged with the Northwest Towing Association and later became the Oregon Tow Truck Association. He was one of 26 founding members of the Towing & Recovery Association of America, which was formed in August of 1979, in Kansas City, MO. Jerry was also a founding member of the Friends of Towing, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of the towing industry. With Jerry’s undying dedication and perseverance, the Friends of Towing eventually became known as the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum. His passion was to improve the image of the towing industry throughout the world and to educate towers as well as the public about the towing industry. Jerry continuously dedicated time, money, and expertise to this passion. For years, he dedicated countless hours to helping create a solid place for a Tow Truck Museum that would also serve as an educational facility for current trainings and a place to honor both fallen and active towers. It all started with a large trailer that was hauled all over the United States to various Tow Shows. Jerry made sure that the trailer made it to each and every show. Eventually, they outgrew the trailer and found a building at 4th and Broad Street in Chattanooga, TN. (the birthplace of the towing industry). However, they quickly outgrew that building and Jerry was determined to help find a larger building in the same area; with much dedication and perseverance of Jerry and other men and women like him, they were able to find a much larger building further south on Broad Street. Jerry’s dream was realized with this new home, referred, to as the ITRHFM. This building is now a home for everyone to see and learn about the towing industry. Jerry’s never-ending dedication to this organization earned him the name, “Mr. Museum” across the country. He held great pride in seeing his dream come to life in something that is now inspirational to so many across the world.

We wish to thank KP Hospice for all their strength and support, which they have given to our dad and us (his family) during our time of need, especially Robert Yuille and Meredith Seiser.

A graveside service will be held in Milton-Freewater, Oregon on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 11:00AM. Jerry’s “Celebration of Life” service will be held at Rolling Hills Community Church at 3550 SW Borland Road in Tualatin, Oregon on Friday, November 18, 2011, at 11:00AM. Special room rates at Crown Plaza Hotel, Lake Oswego, Oregon. Call direct 503-624-8400 and ask for the “Bullock Block”. At Jerry’s request, in lieu of flowers, please send memorial donations to the International Towing & Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum, 3315 Broad St., Chattanooga, TN. 37408-3052. 423.267.3132.

Poem: by Shelley Ryan

While most have just two grandpas, count me lucky I had three
The subject of my poem last name Bullock, first & middle Jerry Lee

He grew up in a small town, Milton- Freewater is the place

From boy to man as time progressed with his trademark beard upon his face

In his twenties he met the woman he would marry

Georgia brought along more luggage than most do carry

Two sons & three daughters & a few years on her mate

Jerry didn’t seem to mind, for him this was his fate

Bullock Towing consumed the family, trucks always on the go

Jerry provided for the kids and his wife known as “Jo”

In his thirties, he was father of the bride to my mother & walked her down the aisle Grandkids followed, getting used to that would take a while

Papa Jerry he became at such a young age that I don’t know if he was ready

He came around through the years, but to me it seemed slow & steady

Trips back to Milton-Freewater I remember as a child

Jerry’s parents, Theda & Wally and apples growing wild

We all loved visiting Grandma & Poppie and Jerry’s brother, our Uncle Dan

Our cousins Lance & LG, their Uncle Jerry is their biggest fan

Jerry sold the towing company & decided trucks he will build

With my mother “in charge” and Dean out in the shop, the team was quite skilled

Jerry’s collecting hobby soon filled the place

Match Box cars & toy tow trucks taking up a lot of space

Eventually it was time to build the last truck

He taught his kids well & wished them “Good Luck”

They all ended up in towing, one way or another

With knowledge passed on from the man who married their mother

Papa Jerry has slowed down a bit and now has great grandkids to spoil

His hands are less often covered in grease & in oil

He changed the life of my grandma & the five children that with her she had brought

I hope he knows we love him a lot a lot a lot!

By Shelley Ryan
October 7, 2011

Dear Papa Jerry –

We still wonder if you were crazy in love or crazy insane when you married Grandma Jo with 5 kids. Little did you know you would soon start to have grandkids? Early on, I remember being surrounded by tow trucks and grease. My ability to take trucks and cars out of gear really made you happy when I did it to your truck and it crashed into some bricks. I especially remember the summer when I was ten, answering phones for Mom. I got to see you everyday. When you got the shop in Sherwood I loved going out there to help Mom. I was always so worried what you thought.

In 2001 when you had bypass surgery a week before Alyssa was born, I finally got a lecture from Snood telling me to get over myself and just go see you in the hospital. Then I made you a GREAT grandpa! Those next 3 ½ years I became closer to you, then I had in along time. I loved bring Alyssa over. Grandma Joe loved seeing Alyssa and I could see you did too. &
nbsp;Then in 2005 a week before Maggie was born you had your stroke. I remember telling you to quit stealing my thunder. Ever since then you smiled more and even laughed more, at least more then I remember.

When you started collecting Tow Mater stuff I thought it was so funny. Being around tow trucks all your life and now you want toy tow trucks. I told you I would one day get a tattoo of it and you laughed. I remember the day I showed you what I had done. You just smiled and shook your head. Now I will always have you with me.

Thank you for marrying my Grandma, thank you for giving me some of the BEST Great-Grandparents. Thank you for being a Dad to my Mom and raising her to be the strong woman she is today. Thank you for always loving your little turd bird.
LOVE,
Robin

The last time you said something to me, I told you I was leaving and I loved you. You said I love you too and thanks for coming.

From Footnotes TowBlog: Towing News Around The Web (www.thetowblog.com)
Posted by Cyndi Kight, Associate Editor of Towing and Recovery Footnotes

The post Sad News From the International Towing Museum appeared first on .