User:Bradamante Slocum

Gerald W. Murrie, aka Jerry the Zoonut (August 25, 1932 - July 1, 2003). Gerald William Murrie was a Midwestern businessman who, upon retirement, became a "local character" in San Diego, California, well known at the San Diego Zoo.

Brief Biography: Murrie was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin, on August 25, 1932, and raised in Russell, Illinois. (The town of Russell was named for railroad executive Russell Sage, a cousin of his by marriage through Sage's second wife.) Upon graduating from Zion-Benton Township High School, in Zion, Illinois, he enlisted in the U. S. Navy. After his tour of duty as a photographer's mate was over, he worked as a truck driver, helped design the Murrie Motel (now the Rosecrans Motel) and worked there for a time, and eventually came to work for a mobile home park owned by his family. He married and had two children. At the time of his retirement, he was company president of the corporation that owned and ran Beach Mobile Home Park. Upon selling the mobile home park, he and his family moved to San Diego, California. He died in San Diego on July 1, 2003, of a heart attack, and was buried in Mt. Rest Cemetery near Russell, Illinois. He was survived by his ex-wife, a son, a daughter, and two grandchildren.

Jerry the Zoonut: Under the nickname "Jerry the Zoonut," Murrie became a local character. He visited the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, and Seaworld on a regular basis. After his divorce, he visited the San Diego Zoo an average of five days a week. He was often interviewed by local media as a zoo regular, as was Rose Barron, aka "Grandma Bear." Murrie was a member of more than a dozen zoos across the country and an adoptive parent at several zoos. The license plate of his car read 'Zoonut.' He was listed in the telephone book twice:  once under M for Murrie and once under Z for Zoonut. He made liberal donations to the San Diego Zoo and to local museums.

''References: Fitzsimmons, Barbara. San Diego Union-Tribune, November 5, 1986, Page D-1, D-4.''

''Dibsie,Patricia. San Diego Union-Tribune, July 31, 1989.''

San Diego Union- Tribune, July 5, 2003.

The News Sun (Waukegan, IL), July 5, 2003.