Charles (Charlie) H. Hoessle retired Director of the Saint Louis Zoo. Photo from: http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/metro/life/bick-hoessle-woodard-among-ageless-honorees/article_279ac113-378d-5f26-80c9-112dd9c20262.html
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Sunset Hills Historical Society’s monthly meeting
The public is invited to the Sunset Hills Historical Society’s presentation on Monday, Sept. 22, at 7 p.m., at the Sunset Hills City Hall, 3939 S. Lindbergh Blvd.
The guest speaker will be Charlie Hoessle, former executive director of the St. Louis Zoo. Charles H. Hoessle is currently director emeritus of what is officially called the Saint Louis Zoological Park in Forest Park. Hired by Marlin Perkins as a reptile keeper, he moved up the ranks to director and retired ten years ago. Hoessle was honored for his 40-year career and his contributions with a life-sized sculpture just outside the reptile/amphibian building.
Interested in exotic animals since childhood, and having owned a pet shop in Affton, he provided the leadership for the St. Louis Zoo for its education program as well as for animal conservation.
To answer the St. Louis question, Hoessle and his wife both went to Cleveland High School and to Harris Teachers’ College.
At the Sunset Hills Historical Society monthly meeting Hoessle will informally discuss the history of the St. Louis Zoo, its origins and its growth. Hoessle and his wife reside in Sunset Hills.
The Sunset Hills Historical Society meetings typically take place on the fourth Monday of the month in the Sunset Hills City Hall, at 3939 South Lindbergh Blvd., in Sunset Hills. The upcoming meeting will be on Oct. 27 with a speaker to be announced.
Read more: http://www.southcountytimes.com/calendar-72187.114137–Sunset-Hills-Historical-Societys-monthly-meeting.html#ixzz3DzvACwW6
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Biographical sketch from StLToday: http://www.stltoday.com/suburban-journals/metro/life/bick-hoessle-woodard-among-ageless-honorees/article_279ac113-378d-5f26-80c9-112dd9c20262.html
Charles H. Hoessle, 80, of South County, served as director of the zoo for 20 years. Since his retirement in 2002, he has served as the organization’s director emeritus, and played a fundamental role in the development of zoo exhibits such as the River’s Edge, Penguin and Puffin Coast and the Emerson Children’s Zoo. He is a regular speaker at zoo events and continues to cultivate major donors. He also has served on more than a dozen civic boards and commissions, traveled to seven continents and currently is on a mission to visit all of the nation’s national parks.
See a biographical sketch of Charlie Hoessle from the St. Louis Zoo website
Charlie Hoessle showing bear cub to children. Photo from: http://www.stlzoo.org/about/history/charleshoessle/
