Born in New York City on June 15, 1950, to Eugene and Catherine Goll (Kelly), Gene Goll

passed on July 24 after a valiant battle with a sudden and aggressive cancer.

Gene spent his early childhood living in Africa on the Ivory Coast and then Puerto Rico,

before returning to New York (Bronx) where he attended All Hallows High School. After

earning his BA ('72) and MA ('73) from Fordham University, he taught high school English

in the NYC school system, a role that expertly trained him for decades of redlining his

kids' school papers.

Gene began a career at Texaco which would span over 36 years and four company

changes (Equilon, Motiva and Shell). He returned to school for an MBA at George

Washington University, where a group project led him to Hilary, his wife of almost 42

years. In 1983, Gene married Hilary, and together they spent the next several decades

raising three children, navigating moves across the U.S. and Spain, before settling in

Kingwood, TX, in 1998. Since retiring from Shell in 2010, he found great fulfillment in

passionately serving multiple ministries at St Martha's Catholic Church, including St.

Martha's kitchen ministry; hospitals and care facility ministry; and Eucharistic minister.

Gene was a humble man with a deep and abiding faith whose life was one of serving

without any desire for recognition, a gift that extended to his family, church, work and

community. He took deep enjoyment in life's simple pleasures - being with family,

cracking a good joke, coaching his kids, cheering on his beloved Houston sports teams,

playing with his grandkids, walking his dog, enjoying good food, spending time at the

beach, and patronizing the arts.

He is survived by his wife, Hilary Goll (Smith); son, Kevin M Goll (Hillary); daughter,

Karen E Goll; son, Brian C Goll and grandkids Henry, Georgia and Gus; sister Katherine

Delaney (Steven) and two nieces. May his memory be as much a blessing to all who knew

him as it is to his family.

A Mass will be held at 10:30 am on Monday, August 4th in the chapel at St. Martha's

Catholic Church followed by a celebratory reception at Darst Funeral Home. In lieu of

flowers or donations, Gene would most want you to volunteer some of your time to serve

the hungry, the poor, or the sick.