Will Ojibway "Willo" Doolittle (1878-1965) received the bronze Pugsley Medal in 1935 fro creating and developing the city of Tulsa, Oklahama's park system and for his leadership in the American Institute of Park Executives. He was bron in Painesville, Ohio. His mother was vigorous and expert gardener. During his high school days, he had worked during his vacations and after school hours at the local daily newspaper and after finishing high school he took up job there as circulation manager. During this time Doolittle became involved in local politics. While in Michigan, Doolittle seved as a member of the Congressional Committee for the Progressive ( Bull Moose) Party and stumped the entire northern peninsula in the interests of Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 candidacy. Late in 1914, Minot, North Dakota decided to create a park system and Doolittle accepted an invitation to become its first superintendent.
He started in April 1915 and invested ten years in this position developing park system. In 1926, he became general superintendent of parks in Tulsa, Oklahama and remained in that position for 11 years until 1937. Doolittle introduced the concept of a zoo to Tulsa. As a young man he was greatly inspired by Dr. William T Hornaday, the first director fo the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Doolittle had an abiding passion for nature. He was appointed editor of Parks and Recreation at Minot, the organization's monthly magazine in January 1921. Doolittle's contributions were central to the visibilty and viability of American Institute of Park Executives (AIPE) for 45 years.