Snooty’s memorial service to be held Sept. 10.

The South Florida Museum has scheduled a special day of remembrance on Sept. 10 for Manatee County’s beloved mascot Snooty the manatee, who drowned on July 23 at the Parker Aquarium.

“The Snooty Memorial Open House event will pay tribute to Snooty’s legacy, while we celebrate his remarkable life and all that he has brought to the museum and the world throughout his record-breaking 69 years,” said Brynne Anne Besio, museum CEO.

The event is from noon until 5 p.m. and will include a visual tribute to Snooty that will be shown in the Bishop Planetarium, opportunities for visitors to help create memorial projects honoring Snooty, as well as a visit to the aquarium to learn about Snooty’s true legacy, which has been the museum’s manatee rehabilitation program.

Admission will be free.

The manatee rehabilitation program has been in place since 1998 and Snooty helped comfort and care for 33 manatees undergoing rehabilitation, including the three manatees in the tank now who will be returned to the wild when they are in good health.

In the meantime, Snooty fans are encouraged to continue contributing to Snooty’s living online memorial on the museum’s website at SouthFloridaMuseum.org/Remembering-Snooty or sign Snooty’s memorial books at the entrance of the museum.

Letters, memories and photos have been pouring in to the online memorial from all over the world.

Seven-year-old “Carys” wrote from the United Kingdom:“We visited Snooty in 2016 and fell in love with him. We are really upset to hear that he died. We know how much the staff will miss him and hope they are OK.”

Kelly Fusco writes: “So honored to have been able to see Snooty a couple of times and to be there for his last birthday party. He was so happy, he was almost glowing. I pray the staff of the museum finds comfort in the wonderful life they gave this precious creature and in knowing that he lives in every day and the hearts of all those he touched.”

Photos from the online memorial will be included in Snooty’s memorial service tribute.

This story was originally published August 10, 2017 at 12:43 PM with the headline "Snooty’s memorial service to be held Sept. 10.."