By Angelina Velasquez

BARTOW COUNTY, GA (WGCL) -- An educator who many students referred to as "mom" at White Elementary School is being remembered by the community after her untimely death.

Angie Townsend worked as a paraprofessional at the elementary when she was involved in a fatal car accident in February. As a way to honor the beloved staff member, the school dedicated a newly completed butterfly garden to Townsend.

“This garden honors the hard work, dedication, and loving spirit which Mrs. Townsend exhibited day in and day out,” said WES Principal Amy Heater. “For more than 20 years, Angie would often flutter around the school with her energetic spirit and contagious smile, instilling a love of learning everywhere she went, which reminds me of how butterflies fly from bush to bush exhibiting their beauty.”

While the garden was underway prior to Townsend's passing, efforts to bring it to completion were sped up when several community partners lent a helping hand. They donated time, items for the garden such as planters, pavers, soil, mulch, rocks, and plants. To make the dedication that much more heartfelt, two rose bushes were planted in a garden; they were Townsends favorite pollinating plants.

The teacher's parents, Jim and Sandra Walker, were awe-struck when they witnessed the work of the community with their own eyes.