KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) - A Katy ISD naming advisory committee recommends Junior High 18 be named for the Nelson family.
The Nelsons have lived in the Katy area for more than five generations and, since the 1940s, farmed the land where the school will be located.
"Having played a pivotal role in shaping the community we know today the Nelson family’s legacy is deeply entwined with the history of Katy, as evidenced by the two patriarchs, Clyde and George Nelson, and their descendants," a Katy ISD press release said.
In 1938, Clyde Nelson and his wife Leatha moved to Katy with their three children, Wesley, Wanda, and David. In 1942, they purchased the land that Junior High 18 sits on today from Mrs. Mary Wilkenson, a former Katy ISD schoolteacher.
The Nelson family engaged in rice and cattle farming and actively participated in community and school activities. Wesley and David were involved in Katy FFA, while Wanda contributed to the school's band. All three children, Katy High School graduates, made significant contributions to their community.
Katy ISD
The Nelson family.
Wesley served in the Air Force before joining the family's rice farming operation, and David joined the business later. The Nelson children, who graduated from and married fellow Katy High School alumni, strengthened their ties to the community by making their homes near the family farms.
In the early 1930s, George and Alice Nelson settled in Katy, establishing a prosperous farming and ranching enterprise. George's commitment to education was demonstrated through his Katy ISD school board service in 1939 and reflected in the family's dedication to the local school system.
Actively involved in the Katy FFA, George volunteered his time and efforts. The couple's three children, Sonny, Delores, and Johnny, not only contributed significantly to the Katy community but also carried on the family's farming legacy.
As their families expanded, their ties to Katy ISD deepened through generations attending and graduating from the district. The Nelson family's enduring impact on the community and its schools continues to resonate today.
A public forum to provide input regarding the proposed name will occur on Wednesday, December 6, at the Katy ISD Education Support Complex, 6301 S. Stadium Lane. Individuals wishing to speak during the public forum may sign up in person at 4:30 p.m. No signups will be allowed once the discussion begins.