Nena Harden

Nena Narcis Kelly Harden, 92, passed away peacefully in her home in College Station on June 4, 2021.

Memorial services will be held at Wellborn Baptist Church on Friday, June 18, at 11 a.m., with a fellowship from 10 to 11 a.m. at the church.

Nena was born on Jan. 24, 1929, in Huckabay to Neal and Cloyse Kelly. She was the second child and oldest daughter of nine children.

Following graduation from Hamilton High School in 1946, Nena attended Texas Tech College and Howard Payne College before enlisting in the Women’s Air Corp (WAC) in 1949. Following her honorable discharge in 1952, she attended Southwest Texas State Teacher’s College (Texas State University), where she graduated with her Master of Education degree in 1955.

She taught high school in Houston ISD for one year and Premont ISD for 31 years (1957-1988) as a high school math teacher and elementary principal.

While in college, she met her future husband, Jesse Delma Harden. They were married May 26, 1955, and were married 51 years prior to his death in 2006.

Following her husband’s passing, she moved to College Station to be near family. There, she was an active member of Wellborn Baptist Church, where she taught a women’s bible study class until she was 90. Her free time was spent crocheting items for family and friends.

Nena was preceded in death by her parents; husband Jesse; siblings Bruce, Cecil, Addie Schmeltekopf and Mary Lois Nickell; her children, Mickey Harden (Robyn) of Dallas, Debbie Lackey (Ronny) of College Station and Kathy Perkins (Tom) of Houston; grandchildren Ronny Lee Lackey (Brooke) of Houston, Kellie Polansky (Daniel) of College Station and Elisabeth Harden of Dallas; five great-grandchildren; siblings Myrtle Turner of Kyle, Robert Kelly of Baton Rouge, Harrol Kelly (Ann) of Dallas and Carrol Kelly of Kyle; and numerous nieces and nephews who loved her dearly.