The Navarre Garden Club and the Friends of the Navarre Library celebrated Arbor Day by planting a tree behind the library Jan. 21 at 2 p.m.

The tree commemorates Kathleen Wells, who passed away in August.
Wells told friends last year she would love to have a live oak planted in her yard, so planting a Cathedral live oak was an easy decision for the groups. Porter’s Nursery donated and planted the live oak.
Wells was a charter member of both the Garden Club and the Friends of the Navarre Library.
“She truly loved being with people, and we miss her,” said Patt Stewart, president of the Friends of the Navarre Library.
In addition to planting a live oak, the groups gave attendees live oaks to take home and plant. Panhandle Growers donated the seedlings.
Navarre Garden Club and Friends of the Navarre Library members shared some of their favorite memories of Kathleen during the program.
One such memory came from Belle Buckley, charter member of the Garden Club and the Friends of the Navarre Library, said her favorite memory of Wells happened during Hurricane Dennis.
“We were sitting in the hallway on the floor and the wind was blowing and was whistling like crazy.  I said ‘Kathleen, what will we do if that window breaks?’ and she said, ‘Nothing.’  She was just reading her book, and I was about to climb the walls. She was just so calm,” said Buckley.
Arbor Day is a nationally recognized holiday, but each state chooses its own day to celebrate.  Because Florida has a longer growing season, Arbor Day in Florida is celebrated on the third Friday in January.