Douglas Goode Obituary

Douglas Goode III, aged 69, passed away on June 11th, 2025, in Tallahassee, Florida. Family and friends are invited to a celebration of life luncheon on Sunday, June 29th, 2025, at noon at the Montgomery Zoo Mann Museum (325 Vandiver Blvd, Montgomery, AL 36110).
Doug was born in Montgomery, Alabama, on April 10th, 1956, to Douglas Goode Jr and Mary Augusta Goode (née Wood). Growing up on his family's Goodewood Farm, Doug's early experiences raising a variety of animals, including exotic and rare birds and ornamental koi, instilled a passion for wildlife and conservation that stayed with him throughout his life.
He graduated from Trinity Presbyterian High School in 1974 and attended the University of South Alabama before moving to England to study at the Slimbridge Wildfowl Trust and Zoological Gardens. There, he was responsible for the animal husbandry of the largest collection of wildfowl in the world and conducted field studies on European migration routes of waterfowl.
In 1977, Doug returned to the Montgomery area, where he continued to raise several exotic bird species, including South American waterfowl, macaws, and cockatoos at Goode Bluff Aviary, a business he owned and operated until 1997. Doug joined the Montgomery Zoo in 1994 as a zookeeper. Except for a brief period in 1997 when he served as Assistant Zoo Director at Zoo World in Panama City Beach, Florida, he dedicated the rest of his career to the Montgomery Zoo. He became the Deputy Zoo Director in 1998. In 2001, he was promoted to Zoo Director, a position he held until his retirement in 2018. He loved the zoo and spearheaded many new additions during his more than 20 years of service.
Outside of work, Doug enjoyed many things and made everything more enjoyable with his mischievous personality and quick-witted sense of humor. He loved cooking for loved ones, gardening, fishing, college football, being outdoors, and live music. More than anything, he loved spending time with his daughters and supporting them in all their endeavors.
His family will deeply miss his lively spirit, curiosity, ingenuity, seemingly endless knowledge of the natural world, and the care he showed to his friends and family.
He is survived by his siblings, Dr. Katherine "Kitty" Horky-Burns, Bruce Boling, and Lacy Wood "Woody" Goode; his daughters, Dr. Lacy Kathryn Goode (Daniel LaRose), Mary Lawson Goode, and their mother, Lisa Wilhelm Goode; his granddaughter, Laurel Jane LaRose-Goode; and his nephews Lance Boling (Sutton Boling) and Cameron Boling (Katie Boling).
In lieu of flowers, those wishing to express their condolences are encouraged to donate to the Montgomery Zoo or to New Journeys Residential Home in Tallahassee, Florida, which provided him with excellent, compassionate care in the final months of his life. https://www.montgomeryzoo.com/plan-your-visit/about-us/make-a-donation/donate https://gofund.me/add9c92e
Niki Carney of Bevis Funeral Home (www.bevisfh.com or 850-385-2193) is assisting the family with their arrangements.