Sweethearts and Superfans: Katy couple enjoys local sports as they celebrate Valentine’s Day

By George Slaughter, News Editor
Posted 2/9/23

Valentine’s Day is Tuesday, Feb. 14, and no, the sweethearts profiled here have not yet made their plans for that special day. Pat Harrell said it depends on the Katy High sports schedule.

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Sweethearts and Superfans: Katy couple enjoys local sports as they celebrate Valentine’s Day

Posted

Valentine’s Day is Tuesday, Feb. 14, and no, the sweethearts profiled here have not yet made their plans for that special day. Pat Harrell said it depends on the Katy High sports schedule.

“We’ll probably be going to a ball game if it’s Tuesday,” Harrell said.

Doug and Pat Harrell are fixtures at Katy High sports events. He retired after working for a decades-long career at Houston Lighting & Power, later known as Reliant Energy. She retired after working as principal secretary at Katy High for 30 years. They have two daughters, six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. The children and grandchildren are Katy ISD graduates. Their daughter Debra died in October 2021, and their other daughter Shelli is a flight attendant with Delta Airlines. Recently, Harrell said, Shelli just returned from a flight to Korea.

“I hate to think about it when she’s 15 hours over an open ocean,” Harrell said, with a chuckle. “That kind of bugs me. I’m glad when she gets back home.”

The three great-grandchildren are Katy ISD students. One is at Katy High, another is at Katy Junior High, and the third is at Katy Elementary.

“We’re working on great-grands now,” Pat Harrell said.

But even with a family with such ties, the Harrells are fans of all the student-athletes who wear Katy red. The school has reciprocated. Last month, the Katy Lady Tigers basketball team honored the Harrells as “All-Time Greatest Loyal Fans.” In June, Pat Harrell said, they will celebrate their 68th wedding anniversary.

They grew up in the town of May, Texas, which is about 20 miles north of Brownwood in Central Texas and about 288 miles northwest of Katy. They met in church. Her father was a pastor and they lived in the parsonage, Pat Harrell said.

“His grandmother lived across the road and about 100 yards up,” Harrell said.

They married July 30, 1955. Doug was not yet 17 and Pat was 15, she said. Doug’s father worked for Humble Oil, now Exxon, and got transferred to Katy. Doug and Pat came along and made their home here. Doug graduated from Katy High in 1957, and Pat graduated in 1958.

“We just got started when our girls were in school,” Harrell said. “We’re talking mid 1970s here.”

In those days, Harrell said, there were fewer options for girls’ sports. Still, there was volleyball, basketball, swimming and track. Their girls participated, and the Harrells continued to attend and enjoy watching the games.

“We just love teenagers,” Harrell said. “We just loved the kids, all of them, and it gives us something to do besides watching terrible television.”

What’s the secret of having 68 years together?

“Part of it is doing everything together,” Harrell said. “We don’t do much apart. He might go to a baseball game without me occasionally, because I prefer softball.”

When they were younger, Harrell said, they traveled together. Now that they’re older they don’t do as much traveling. Going as far east as Memorial City Mall is a big trip today.

“Our daughter says we have no business driving in Houston,” Harrell said, with a chuckle. “OK, whatever you think.”

Although Katy has grown substantially over the years, it retains that small-town feel, she said.

“People asked me that question all the time,” Harrell said. “I think it’s because it’s the community school, and not the neighborhood school. It’s where people want to be because it has that community, small-town feel. It’s just the place to be.”

Katy Tigers, Katy Lady Tigers, Valentine's Day, Katy High School