By Cliff Radel
The Cincinnati Enquirer

A tribute to the late Marge Schott will be up through the weekend at the Schott-Unnewehr Vanishing Giants exhibit at the Cincinnati Zoological and Botanical Gardens. Visitors are invited to leave cards and flowers. The Cincinnati Enquirer/JEFF SWINGER

Tributes to Marge Schott poured in Friday from near and far as details were firmed up for today's funeral.

The farthest came from Shigemitsu Hosoe, mayor of Gifu, Japan, who sent his condolences to Schott's family, noting her "deep understanding for the sister-city relationship between Gifu City and Cincinnati."

The former Reds owner and her team had visited the Japanese city in 1991 and conducted a baseball clinic. "We would like to express our heartfelt respect for her outstanding character," Hosoe wrote.

Meanwhile, the Cincinnati Zoo, long a beneficiary of Schott's philanthropy, has set up a memorial for the weekend.

VISITATION

• 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. today at Marge Schott Parish Center in All Saints Catholic Church in Kenwood. • Shuttle buses are available from two locations in Madeira and one in Montgomery.

SPECIAL SECTION

• Marge Schott remembered

Anyone wishing to pay tribute to Schott, who died Tuesday at the age of 75, can leave cards and flowers at the Zoo's main gate, 3400 Vine St., or at a memorial outside the elephant yard.

Schott often went there to visit the elephants, including 10,000-pound Princess Schottzie.

For people attending today's public visitation - 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Marge Schott Parish Center in All Saints Catholic Church in Kenwood - shuttle buses are available from Madeira and Montgomery.

The shuttles begin departing from two Madeira churches at 8:30 a.m. and continue until the services conclude: St. Paul United Methodist Church, 8221 Miami Ave., (513) 891-8181; and Madeira-Silverwood Presbyterian Church, 8000 Miami Ave., (513) 791-4470.

Buses begin departing at 9 a.m. from Sycamore Junior High School, 5757 Cooper Road, Montgomery. This service stops at 2:30 p.m.

The buses serve Schott's funeral as well as the Moeller High School Band Boosters Bi-annual Antique Show Fund-raiser, taking place next to the church. All Saints Church is at 8939 Montgomery Road.

The 1 p.m. funeral Mass is limited to family, friends and employees. Burial follows the Mass, at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, 11000 Montgomery Road, Montgomery.

E-mail: cradel@enquirer.com