A humble, hardworking man who knew how to rock a mullet and gold earrings.
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That is how Richard “Dick” Warren is being remembered.
The founder of Tasmania Zoo was farewelled by his family, friends and employees on Monday, one week after he lost his battle with cancer.
A tribute penned by Mr Warren’s daughter and Tasmania Zoo manager, Rochelle Penney, described the 71-year-old as a “crazy inventor” who always had a “devil of a time”.
She wrote of how her father threatened to “get a taxi back to the zoo” while in hospital.
“He said he didn't have time to be sick ... he was working on his newest project,” she said.
“The first day without Dad, a rainbow was beaming right into the middle of his new exhibit, so I know that he was watching.”
Having worked with him for 15 years, Mrs Penney said the zoo was “his world”.
“He achieved so many of his dreams … from his first bird aviary to his enormous lion exhibit.”
Mr Warren opened the zoo in 2003 with a mission to “contribute to wildlife conservation and to educate the community at large”.
It quickly became home to a number of threatened and endangered species, including the Tasmanian devil with a dedicated breeding program for the iconic species operating out of the zoo for more than a decade.
The program began in 2005 when the zoo accepted an offer from the Department of Primary Industries, Water and the Environment to house a large group of orphaned devils, whose mothers died of devil facial tumour disease.
The threatened devils were only the beginning of Mr Warren’s journey to becoming an advocate for wild animals.
Last year, the zoo welcomed the first red panda to Tasmania.
Throughout the years of “blood, sweat and tears” at the zoo, Mr Warren was supported by a group of dedicated staff, including head zookeeper Emma Morgan.
In an emotional tribute to her boss at Monday’s service, Ms Morgan shared stories on behalf of zoo staff.
“He had the most inappropriate and the lamest jokes we ever heard,” she said.
“Even right at the end he was still cracking them.”
Mr Warren leaves behind his son Robert and daughter Rochelle, son-in-law Rickey, daughter-in-law Melissa and grandchildren Roxy, Rjay, Cody, Dexter and Keira.
Melissa Mobbs
A journalist with more than a decade of experience, Melissa Mobbs currently works as the Deputy Editor for The Examiner Newspaper in Launceston, and has a strong background in reporting on crime and the justice system. Send tips to Melissa.Mobbs@examiner.com.au or on Twitter via @melissamobbs.
A journalist with more than a decade of experience, Melissa Mobbs currently works as the Deputy Editor for The Examiner Newspaper in Launceston, and has a strong background in reporting on crime and the justice system. Send tips to Melissa.Mobbs@examiner.com.au or on Twitter via @melissamobbs.
