Re: “Not ‘a boring minute’ in 28 years” (TNT, 7-19).

During the many years I was a Metro Parks board commissioner, I always found John Rupp to be an excellent member of the zoo staff. Tacoma has been so lucky to have attracted such a quality person to work with the aquarium, the collecting of animals and then to manage the entire facility.

There are fond memories of being able to feed E.T., in 1982, when the great walrus came to the zoo as a pup. This was my first meeting with John and the understanding that Tacoma had added such a wonderful person to the staff. The opening of the shark collection, in 1989, was a tribute to John’s drive for the enlightenment of our community.

He will be missed.

(Thorpe is a former Tacoma Metropolitan Park Board commissioner.)