(December 4, 2008)

ORANGE GROVE--Many residents of Orange Grove tonight are mourning the death of popular teacher at the high school who died from an unknown type of cancer. Now, they're planning a fundraiser to raise money for research of this deadly disease.

Cancer is a killer and the death of this teacher has touched many lives in Orange Grove. Students and staff want to turn her tragedy into something positive so the public can learn from it.

At Orange Grove High School, students and staff lost a popular teacher to an unknown type of cancer. Roxie Mereck-Fine, 45, a homemaking teacher, passed away on Monday after a long fight.

"I never ever thought that it would happen," said Emily Cunningham, a student at Orange Grove High School. "All of us always thought she was going to be perfectly fine and come out of this."

"She was an integral part of not what went on in our campus but what went on in our community," said Molly Brock, an Orange Grove High School teacher. "It's devastated our whole town."

Fine was an inspiration to the students and her fellow colleagues.

"She was a great teacher," said Jennifer Nesloney, a student at Orange Grove High School. "She made every student feel like they were her favorite."

"If I started off having a bad day, I would go see Mrs. Fine because she could always brighten your day," said Tommy Moses, who is the Orange Grove High School Principal. 

Students and staff have signed two 15-foot long banners with thoughts for the beloved teacher. They plan to give this to the family after her funeral.

"It's a very difficult time right now for our community and for our school," Brock said. 

Next week, students were already planning to have a Walk for a Fine cause at Bulldog Stadium in Orange Grove before her death. They want to raise 25 thousand dollars to find a cure for the cancer Fine died from. (Event is planned for December 11 from 4 pm until 8 pm.)

"I would hate for anyone else to have to go through the exact same thing and never know why," Cunningham said. 

A funeral mass will be held Friday at 2 pm at St. John Catholic Church in Orange Grove. School will be let out early so students and staff can say good-bye to Mrs Fine.

--Manuel De La Rosa, Area 3 News, mdelarosa@kiiitv.com