Diane Smith, wife of the late FedEx founder Fred Smith, recently donated an historic $50 million to the Memphis Zoo, as part of a matching challenge to encourage an additional $50 million in community support.
“As a mother to 10 children and grandmother to more than 35 grandchildren, the zoo has always been a special, memorable place for us,” Diane Smith said. “My family and I are honored to have played a role so that other families can enjoy this incredible Memphis gem for generations to come.”
The Memphis Zoo stated that Smith’s donations will be used as part of a renovation operation to “create immersive new habitats, advance animal care and conservation, expand educational opportunities, and enhance the guest experience.”
