Earnest "Nick" L. Nicholson Jr.

Born and raised in St. Louis, Nick was one of five siblings born to Earnest and Norma. After graduating from Ritenour High School, Nick joined the Navy. It was in that same year that he married the love of his life, Elaine “Maxine”. Four years in the Navy after being stationed in Florida away from family, Nick and Elaine moved back to St. Louis. It was then that Nick began his lifelong career as a zoo keeper for the St Louis Zoo.

He started and ended his career in the Children’s Zoo. However, in the years between he worked with many of the animals at the zoo, the zebras, giraffes, lions, tigers and bears. For many years, Nick was one of the trainers that worked with the elephants in the elephant show. He spent a month in Australia learning about how to care for koalas and brought back Sunny the Koala to the Children’s Zoo where he cared for Sunny dearly. Nick shared with his family a side of the zoo that not everyone gets to see.

In addition to caring deeply about animals, Nick was an artist in many ways. He developed a passion for working with trees to develop them into Bonsai. For many years, he was a member of the Bonsai Society at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. He was also an avid sketch artist and loved to sculpt with clay.

Nick and his wife Elaine (Watson) had been married 50 years before Elaine’s passing in 2021. Nick was also preceded in death by his parents and his sister Ginger and is survived by his daughters Anne (Mike) McGinnis and Beth (Adam) Roberts. He was a Papa to Grace, Alex, Hannah, and Isabel. He was looking forward to being a great grandpa this summer to Ezra. Brothers Mike (Mary), Mark (Gayle) and Carl will remember him fondly.

A Celebration of Life is to be held on May 5th starting at 10:30am at the St. Louis Zoo at the McDonnell Center at River Camp. Please plan on joining Nick’s family in remembering what a great man he was.

Memorial tributes in the name of Nick Nicholson can be sent to:

Saint Louis Zoo Association

PO Box 790290

St. Louis, MO 63179-0290

Or via the St Louis Zoo’s website https://stlzoo.org/give/tribute-fund

All donations will be directed towards the development and building of the new Henry A. Jubel Destination Discovery, which will open in 2026 to replace the Emerson Children’s Zoo.