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Les Whitt, beloved Director of the Alexandria Zoo, passed away this morning at 6:38am at Ochsner’s Medical Center in New Orleans after a brief illness.
Les had been Director of the Zoo since February of 1974, and worked tirelessly to build the Zoo into what it is today. He was passionate about the Zoo and was frequently praised by American zookeeper Jack Hanna. The zoo features more the 600 animals from around the globe.
Les was also responsible for the Louisiana Habitat exhibit, which received an award from Louisiana Contractors magazine for best public facility in 1998 and won an AZA award (Significant Achievement Award in 2002), as well as the Zoo becoming accredited by the American Association of Zoological Parks in 1986.
Les was utterly unique. Compassionate, generous, kind. He gave and gave and gave. Each of us who knew him, knew how blessed we were to share a few moments of our life with him.
Although what we’ve lost is tremendous, what he gave us is immeasurable.
Our deepest sympathy goes out to Lee Ann, Sarah, and Hanna, as well as the many others who knew and loved him.
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Words can not express how we feel at the passing of Les Whitt. I am not sure the community can understand until it sinks in that the man with the vision and strength to see the City of Alexandria as more than just a little town is gone. There is one bright spot in this difficult loss, he has left behind a beautiful zoo and a legacy for generations to come.
Well said
The person responsible for submitting this article about Les has his date of death WRONG!!! Today is the 15th and NOT the 16th!!!!
Sweettart54 you need to look at your calendar. Today is the 16th.
And IF the website will post my last comment on this article, you will see/read that I did correct myself. Thank you.
I think that the person who wrote this article did a wonderful job. In this very sad time, lets not be so critical of the little things.
Eagles, like angels, don’t distinguish between work and play. To them, it is all one and the same. Life is short, but wide. I will give thanks for gifts, strangely, beautifully, painfully wrapped. This R. Wells quote is so like Les. To his family and friends Les will always be the music of kindness and delight in our hearts.
I am still in shock of Les’s untimely passing. He was a great man, and a ture animal lover. He will be dearly missed by all of us in Louisiana.
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Les was a tremendous man and a long time friend of Newschannel 5. He will be missed.