Son remembers legacy of mother who fought for lower chemo costs while battling cancer

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    BAY CITY, Mich. (WNEM) — A family is mourning after a mother lost her long battle with cancer.

“She lit up a room when she walked in, her smile could change anyone’s day. She was my hero. she was a hero to a lot of people,” Charles Schnetzler said about his mom,

61-year-old Jody Schnetzler was a loving mother, a teacher for 30 years and an artist.

Now memories and her artwork are all her family has. Jody died in June after six years of fighting ovarian cancer.

“She fought the illness physically and emotionally, but she also fought it through her art,” Charles said.

She wanted to help other cancer patients, one way was trying to lower the cost of oral chemo medication. We at TV5 did multiple stories with Jody over the years and she remained positive as the cancer spread.

“I wake up grateful every day and I go to bed thanking the lord that I had a great day,” Jody said in 2017. “I stay positive because that’s just who I am.”

Charles agrees, she was positive.

“The way she able to be so positive and selfless through the whole thing. You never knew the pain she was in. And what she was going through,” he said.

In her later years, Jody’s pride and joy was the Alma Community Art Center. They’re reopening in a new location that Jody will never get to see.

To honor her their first spotlight is Jody’s art.

“I wish she would be able to see it,” Charles said. “I think it would make her very happy.”

The new art center opens December 3. They’re having an open house on December 6 where you can buy prints of Jody’s artwork.

The proceeds will go to a scholarship in her name.

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