My poor daughter Tiffany was teased terribly because the Topeka zoo had a gorilla named Tiffany also. Every time we visited the zoo her brother insisted he couldn’t tell them apart!

Poor Tiffany! Thanks for sharing that story!

As a child, I remember hearing on the radio, and seeing on local television, “a man” (I was too young to remember Gary’s name) from the WORLD FAMOUS Topeka Zoo.  He always spoke of the beauty and diversity of Africa with such enthusiasm and reverence.  And he would often note that animal behavior observed while on safari in Africa can also be seen in the zoo – all the while sprinkling in humorous personal anecdotes and jokes from “the bush” and beyond.

Gary—and his animal friends – were an invaluable bridge connecting a boy from eastern Kansas to the African continent.  Because of them, a seed was placed in a young mind that a kid half a world away could form his own relationships with the people and animals of Africa.

I am forever grateful for the gift Gary, Sunflower, Max and Tiffani, ‘Peka-Sue, the gnus Weather and Sports, and countless others at the WORLD FAMOUS Topeka Zoo, gave me in those early years.  And the gift continues to grow:  my oldest daughter, age three, loves going to the zoo and speaks excitedly of getting to Africa.

A “master” at sharing his love for the zoo and Topeka, my earliest memories of Gary include his motivating school children to save bread wrappers as a fundraiser, and then pennies.  As an adult, I was able to expose many community leaders to the Zoo through the Leadership Greater Topeka program.  Gary always was prepared with a request for EACH class member—a way for them to contribute to the Zoo personally and professionally, with their time, talents and dollars.  Gary is a “master” showman, community member and Topeka promoter.

MEMORIES OF GAGE PARK ZOO The thing I remember the most is the Lions at the front entrance of the zoo and the many pictures of myself, and years later my husband and I took pictures of our children in that same spot.  I also remember the Monkey Island—watching the mother monkies taking care of their babies—cleaning them, feeding them, and chasing them around the island.  We always went to the monkey island first and again just before leaving the zoo.  When our children were small, we worked hard saving labels for points for NOAH’S ARK.  We saved 1,000 points and won a Friends of the Zoo membership.  Our 4 children were featured in the Topeka Daily Capital Newspaper placing the labels in a large container.  Thanks so very much for your many years of being the Topeka Zoo Director.

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My first trip to the Topeka Zoo was so much fun!  I found my way to the Tropical Rain Forest, and I had my camera with me - what a joy.  I spent hours in that place!  A bit of the tropics here in Topeka, Kansas.

I remember walking across the aligator pit and hoping I wouldn’t fall in. It was dark and it smelled horrible. It was so cool!

To me, Gary Clarke was/is bigger than life and right up there with Captain Kangaroo growing up.

I’ll never forget the pride I felt that “our zoo” was “World Famous”.

It helped me realize that anything was possible, wherever you lived. 

Thank you Gary.

Gary was, and is, always on the move. He is also a rich resource for someone trying to write the 1st Docent Guidebook at the Topeka Zoo. The only way I could think of was to corral him behind his office desk with the writing tray pulled out so he couldn’t leave without leaping over me. His quips and metaphors about animals filled the book with engaging material for docents and made the tours more memorable for children. I’ve always been grateful!
    Thank you, Gary, for your knowledge, humor, patience, enthsiasm, love for animals (and Africe) and general good cheer!!!

24 years ago my daughter,jane and my baby grandson were visiting the Topeka Zoo. We were in the elephant house . I was holding baby Jesse wrapped in his blue blanket . The female elaphant used her trunk to grab Jesse’s blanket . I snatched it back just in time . Margaret McGillivary

Margaret, thanks for sharing that story! I asked Gary about the elephant, and he fondly remembered that she liked blue things. Or maybe she just wanted to see what you had in there….?

I am one of Gary’s sons-in-law.  I had known him less than a year when I was grateful to be invited to the opening of the Gorilla Encounter.  One of the funny things that happened that morning was two gorillas jumped up above us on the very thick glass that makes up the walkway you walk through to see the exhibit.  They were showing off for a large group of us, including a live radio remote.  One of them “marked their territory” on the highest point of the glass.  This made the glass VERY slippery…..and a moment later, the second gorilla slipped and fell hard on her back and slid hard all the way to the ground.  We all gasped….but then thankfully sighed as it was apparent that she was fine.  We all laughed when she looked back at us with a very embarassed look on her face….and also the “I hope nobody saw that” expression on her face.  What a human-like reaction she gave us….and the radio personalities detailed it that way for the listening audience.

My wife (one of his daughters), myself and our 3 kids are all so proud of what Gary has meant to the Topeka community, the WF Topeka Zoo and to animal conservation efforts all over the world.  We know his latest book will be another great and entertaining way to educate everyone on the animal kingdom.

On a personal note, we’re also so thankful for all that Gary has done for our family and look forward to many more great memories in the coming years.

All our love,

The Thiele Family

Hi,

I came to know Gary Clarke from the Zoo School I attended as a child in 1974.  We would hold class in the education room that was just to the left inside the Mammal building just before you see Peka-Su.  I fondly remember learning the Swahili.  I also remember they had the largest collection of National Geographic magazines I’ve ever seen.  I think they had every issue up to that date! 

Gary would come in and give presentations and we could barely contain our excitement.  The highlight of the Zoo School was getting to sit on Sunda the Asian Elephant as she lay on her side in her exhibit.  At the end of the course we all voted on what animal we would most like to have added to the World Famous Topeka Zoo and the decision was a landslide vote.  A male African Elephant!  Some time after that through some arraignment that was done with my parents and Merle Blair, whom was good friends of my parents and close to Gary, I was invited at a sneak preview of the new baby make African Elephant.  It was so exciting for me!  Gary himself took be in a pin behind the exhibit to show me the new baby bull elephant.  What an experience.  I have been reading the copy of Gary’s new book that he personally gave and signed to my step Dad Merle Blair.  It’s such an honor to be reading a copy that Gary personally held and signed. 

Gary, you filled my youth with many fond memories and if you read this.  I want you to know I truly appreciate it. 

Best Regards,

Steve Lauterbach Jr.

Thank you, Thiele family and Steve, for sharing! I’m curious if people have read Gary’s book yet, and if that brought back more memories?

I’m reading it right now and I’m about 140 pages into it since starting last night.  It’s a real page turner and the more I read the more memories it brings back about my experiences at TWFTZ.  Like reading about Peka Sue pushing the log around.  I remember watching her with that log!  And the “Most destructive animal in the world” exhibit.  Very fun read especially for someone like myself who grew up following every turn of TWFTZ and Gary Clarke.

A follow up to my previous post…  Just after the previous post I got a call from the man himself!  Gary Clarke!  Evidently word got to him from my stepfather, Merle Blair, that I was reading and thoroughly enjoying his book and mentioned that I’d love to talk to him again.  Well, he did just that and picked up the phone and gave me a call!  What a thrill it was to talk with him again!  We spoke for about 20 minutes, that just flew by for me, and reminisced about the WFTZ as I remembered it.  It was truly an amazing discussion.  I’m looking forward to seeing him again soon!