Lee Richardson Zoo Dedicates Lion Habitat to Memory of Robert Becker

Garden City, KS(westernkansasnews.com) Friday afternoon Lee Richardson Zoo held a ceremony to honor the memory of a longtime employee. Robert worked at the zoo for 29 years and was killed in a motorcycle accident in October.

The lion enclosure was renamed “Bubba’s Cathouse.” Bubba was the nickname Becker was known by while working at the zoo. Becker’s friend Tom Dial led the effort that raised over $1,200 for the exhibit plaque.

“After Bob retired when you asked him what he did at the zoo, he’d tell you well I took care of the biggest cathouse in Garden City, so that’s what gave me the idea for the name,” said Dial.

Mayor Roy Cessna presented Becker’s family with a proclamation that declared March 16, 2018 as “Robert Bubba Becker Day” in Garden City.

“Robert “Bubba” Becker was a dedicated employee of Lee Richardson Zoo from 1973 until his retirement in 2002. Becker was a dedicated blood donor having donated 173 pints of blood to the American Red Cross,” said Cessna, “Mr. Becker was a US Army Veteran of the Vietnam War and a member of the American Legion, Patriot Guard and Christian Motorcycle Association and served as Chaplin St. Catherine Hospice, Vets of Veterans, American Legion and Patriot Guard and should be commended for his unselfish participation in these many areas of community service.”

Becker was killed when the motorcycle he was driving was hit by a jeep. The driver, Bashir Omar, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and drugs during the accident. Omar is facing a second-degree murder charge.