Vowell, Arvella Bentley

Arvella Bentley Vowell was born in 1904 in Arkansas. Her first experience in nursing was helping her mother take care of her eleven brothers and sisters. It was this experience that created a desire in her to help others.

In 1929, Vowell, began the three-year nurses training program at Sealy Hospital in Santa Anna, Texas. She graduated in 1933 and began a 44 year career in nursing. She worked as a private nurse, school nurse, psychiatric nurse and polio nurse.

After a long career as a nurse in San Antonio, she retired in 1976. Vowell was named historian of Chapter 8 of the Texas Nurses Association, the oldest professional nursing association in Texas, in 1976. She was the driving force behind the creation of a collection of historical nursing materials documenting the history of District 8. Vowell died in 1997 at the age of 93.

From the guide to the Texas Nurses Association District 8 - Arvella Bentley Vowell History Collection MS 148., 1908-1987, (University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, UTHSC Libraries, University Archives, San Antonio, TX 78229-3900)