Gift 
Doris Sudhoff
Doris Sudhoff had a penchant for elephants. She was scheduled for knee surgery, but before she went in she visited the Saint Louis Zoo to see her favorite elephant Raja one more time. She made it through the River's Edge, but struggled to walk as she returned to her car and had to sit down. Zoo employee Mary Anne Paszkiewicz approached her and asked if she needed help.
As Mary Anne assisted Doris to her car, the women talked and developed a connection that would turn into a lasting friendship. Mary Anne visited Doris after her surgery in the hospital. They discovered they shared a passion for travel, and of course the Saint Louis Zoo. Mary Anne is a production artist, and has worked for the Zoo for more than 30 years, including 20 years full time. Doris grew up in the City of St. Louis, and the Zoo was her favorite place to visit.
While Doris lived modestly, she splurged a bit when it came to travel. Her father was a railroad engineer and passed on his wanderlust. "The best trip was to Thailand," Doris shared, "because I got to ride an elephant." Mary Anne enjoyed hearing about the places Doris had visited around the world and often asked her for advice about where to go and what to see.
"Her friendship with Mary Anne helped solidify Doris's plans to start a charitable trust and to give a significant portion of her estate to the Zoo," said Doris's cousin Jeanne Neuner. "She loved to attend the Zoo's Heritage Society breakfasts and looked forward to the occasional golf cart tour when she could no longer walk the grounds. When she became ill and passed away in 2013, her Zoo family was there."
And Doris was there for her Zoo family as well. She worked for than 30 years for AT&T, was a diligent saver, and was proud to make a significant gift through her estate to the Zoo Endowment Fund. Doris's legacy helps ensure that the Zoo continues to be a wonderful place for visitors and friends like her, as well as for endangered species like her beloved Asian elephants.
