Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember Michael Blakely of Little Rock, who passed away at the age of 67 just before the new year. Mike served as the director of the Little Rock Zoo for 17 years prior to his death. Next to his family, Mike's greatest love was for animals, from the smallest of snakes to the largest of elephants. As a teenager, Mike began working as a zoologist in Portland, Oregon, and Oklahoma City before finally joining our community in Little Rock. In Little Rock, he became the director of the Little Rock Zoo and held that position from 1999 until 2016. His work at our zoo enriched the lives of the thousands who visited each year, as well as the staff that he mentored so well. He was dearly loved by his wife, Nancy, with whom he shared 34 years of marriage, and his two kids, Thomas and Elizabeth. Martha and I thank him and his family for their dedication to animals and to the natural state of Arkansas. Recognizing Bryant City Councilman Jerry Henson”