County of carousel: St. Louis Independent City
Location of carousel: Government Dr. & Washington Dr., SW corner, Inside St. Louis Zoo, St. Louis
The Person:
Mary Ann Lee, noted philanthropist and wife of the late E. Desmond (Des) Lee, passed away Monday, April 17 in her beloved hometown of St. Louis. She was 90.
"Born May 24, 1926, in St. Louis, Lee was one of two children born to Leonard and Mary MacCarthy. She grew up in Clayton and attended John Burroughs School and Clayton High School. In 1945, Lee married Jack C. Taylor, who 12 years later founded Executive Leasing, now Enterprise Holdings. Their marriage ended in 1977, but right up until Taylor's death in July 2016, the two shared a continuing devotion to their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
"She married Des Lee, co-founder of Lee-Rowan Manufacturing Co., in 1978, and went on to build a strong reputation for philanthropy and civic involvement. She served on the boards of John Burroughs School, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Springboard to Learning, the Sheldon Theatre and Forest Park Forever.
"Together, the Lees made generous philanthropic gifts to a wide range of causes, gifting more than $70 million over the years. Beneficiaries of their generosity included the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club, United Way of Greater St. Louis, Saint Louis Science Center, St. Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, University of Missouri–St. Louis, Washington University in St. Louis, Webster University, Missouri Historical Society, The Magic House, Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis, St. Louis Art Museum and Ranken Technical College.
"For her dedication to the St. Louis community, in 2003 Lee received the St. Louis Woman of Achievement for Philanthropy Award. She also received the Woman of the Year Award from Variety the Children's Charity of St. Louis, the Hiram W. Leffingwell Award from Forest Park Forever and, with her husband, the NAACP Humanitarian Award. Des Lee passed away in January 2010." ~ St. Louis American, Apr 21, 2017
The Place:
"On the north side of the St. Louis Zoo, a hop and jump away from the Penguin and Puffin Coast sits the majestic Mary Ann Lee Conservation Carousel. This historic carousel features hand-carved and painted wooden animals that visitors, young and old alike, can ride on while listening to vintage theme park music. You will feel as though you have traveled back through time as you ride around on this beautiful work of art." ~ City Seeker
A slide show of all the animals and carriages on the carousel: St. Louis Zoo
The Conservation Carousel features 64 colorful hand-carved wooden animals, representing protected and endangered species at the Saint Louis Zoo. It's hard to decide whether to climb on a cheetah, warthog, hippo, polar bear, Grevy's zebra, Humboldt penguin or other exotic figures.
"The ride is ADA accessible. Two chariots on the carousel can accommodate wheelchairs" ~ St. Louis Zoo