 Donn Gibson2, originally uploaded by bucklesw1. Dear Buckles et al.: The St. Louis Zoo show photos sure stir up memories (how young Jim Alexander once was!). It's sad to know that Donn Gibson, the elephant trainer, passed on. Donn and his wife visited Tulsa Zoo one day (I worked there 1975-1981) so we showed them around. They were friendly, especially Mrs. Donn mentioned that he used to teach in high school and by comparison, working elephants is less dangerous. That remark stuck in my mind. Regards, Ken Kawata
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Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Donn Gibson #2
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2 comments:
Donn had family in Sapulpa, OK, close to Tulsa.
Has to the elephants names: He worked a few of the remaining A-B elephants that came to the Zoo as babies in 1955. For several years he had Pumie, Clara, and Marie (all 8 babies were named for women in the Busch family). He also worked Carolyn (who I had trained in the Children's Zoo the year before), Donna, and Pearl (named for Mrs. F. Smith).
Carolyn, who Jim A. trained as a baby in the Children's Zoo (Carolyn was a baby, Jim A. was slightly older), was named for Carolyn Losos, a zoo benefactor. . . at least that was my understanding. She (Mrs. Losos, not the elephant) was the mother of Jonathon Losos who was a keeper at the zoo when I was there as Jim A's assistant. Jonathon is now a biology professor at Harvard and a successful author of articles and biology textbooks.
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