Jerry Douglas
 Jerry
Wayne Douglas was born in 1943 in Waldron, Arkansas, USA. He died on
23rd June 2013, aged 69. He was director of Cosley Zoo.
When the Wheaton Park District decided in the early 1970s to open an
animal farm, district officials saw Jerry Wayne Douglas as the ideal
candidate to run it.
Mr. Douglas, who raised cattle with his
uncle in his native Arkansas as a young man, went on to spend 29 years
as director of what is now known as Cosley Zoo, greatly expanding
exhibits and programs.
"He gave his heart and soul to Cosley,"
said Ray Morrill, the district's retired director of recreation and
special facilities. "Cosley grew under his leadership and guidance, and
it became more than just a few farm animals, as it had been when he
started out. He broadened it to include native wildlife."
Mr.
Douglas, 69, died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis Sunday, June 23, at
Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital, said Sandy, his wife of 43 years. He
was a resident of Wheaton.
Born in Waldron, Ark., Mr. Douglas
moved to Chicago at 16 to live with his brother, his wife said. He
worked as a delivery boy for a time before serving for several years in
the Navy.
After leaving the Navy, Mr. Douglas moved to Wheaton
and worked as a police officer and in a side job for the Park District.
He later was a police officer in Glendale Heights, then joined the
Wheaton Park District full time, working in its maintenance department
out of Northside Park.
In November 1973, a landowner donated 2.65
acres to the Park District, and officials began planning an animal farm
on the site at 1356 N. Gary Ave. Nine months later, Cosley Children's
Park and Museum opened.
The district tapped Mr. Douglas to head
the facility, which on opening day had just a handful of domestic farm
animals. Within a few months, the park added native wildlife and soon
changed its name to Cosley Animal Farm. It took its present name, Cosley
Zoo, in 1999.
Mr. Douglas oversaw major changes to Cosley in his
three decades running the facility. Added during his tenure were more
acreage, a barn, an aviary and a learning center that houses domestic
farm animals, feed storage areas and an indoor area for programs and
special events.
"He really found a niche," said Sue Wahlgren, who
succeeded Mr. Douglas as Cosley's director after 19 years as his
assistant. "He came into this situation and I think it even surprised
him as he grew and changed. When he came here it was just a few old
buildings and a handful of farm animals, and as it started to gain in
development and popularity, he grew with it and really saw something
happen."
For his first seven years as Cosley's director, Mr.
Douglas and his family lived in the middle of the zoo, in an old wooden
railroad station that had been built in the 1880s and moved to the
property from downtown Wheaton. For his remaining time at Cosley, they
lived in a house across the street from the zoo that now is used as the
zoo's special facilities house.
"It was the best life we could
ever ask for," his wife said.
Any contributions will be
gratefully accepted
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