Christopher Allen Golla, age 54, of Kingwood, Texas, died suddenly of a heart attack on December 30, 2019, after spending his final hours peacefully with the family he cherished. Chris is survived by his loving wife of 25 years, Janet Golla, his five devoted children, Christopher (24), Emily (22), Allison (19), Katherine (16), and Michael (8), his parents Jude and Gail Golla, his siblings Robert and Anne Golla, and several aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews who will remember him fondly.

Chris was first and foremost a man of faith and family. He was a member of St. Martha Catholic Church for 25 years and served in several ministries. He co-directed the Fall 2018 men's ACTS retreat, participated in St. Martha's charismatic prayer group, and helped lead the Unbound Ministry. Most importantly, Chris strove to personally pass on his strong belief in God's love, mercy, and forgiveness to his family and others.

In addition, Chris was committed to his prayer life. He spent untold hours in prayer, in and out of church, with family and friends. Chris possessed a strong moral compass and deep compassion for those less fortunate. There are countless examples of his charity. For example, when he was in Switzerland earlier this year for business, he shocked co-workers by leaving a company dinner to treat the homeless to a warm meal. Chris' strong Christian values and selflessness made him an exemplary husband and father. He was present and engaged in the lives of his family, and provided wise and insightful spiritual guidance that will be remembered forever.

Chris also passed on his intellectual curiosity and problem-solving ability to his children, two of whom are engineers and one of whom is pursuing a career in nursing. His two youngest children, though not yet in college, are exceptional students and will doubtless continue Chris' legacy of curiosity and success. His love for school and thinking was evident and he could often be found energetically expounding on complex mathematical or other theoretical concepts after dinner.

Above all, Chris treasured his family and especially his wife Janet. She was his best friend and loving companion, and on the morning of his passing, he told her "when I married you, I found my pot of gold."

Chris was born in Kingsville, Texas, on December 15, 1965. He graduated from Kingsville High School in 1984 as class salutatorian. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Houston, and graduated with honors in 1988. Chris then led an illustrious career in the oil and gas industry. He worked for Halliburton for 29 years, leading design, development, and innovation across 25 drilling systems. He worked as both a manager and technical leader, taking advantage of his uncommon problem-solving ability and knack for designing elegant, effective solutions. Chris' expertise was instrumental in the development of the drill bit used for the relief well that stopped leakage during the Deepwater Horizon disaster, for which he received Halliburton's 2011 Award of Distinction. He holds 15 engineering patents and contributed to the development of the world's leading deep-reading resistivity tool, EarthStar. Chris was a respected teacher and mentor who guided the career development of a generation of engineers.

In his free time, Chris was an avid golfer, jumping at the chance to golf with family or friends, most often with his son Christopher. He also loved to spend time with his family outdoors by fishing, boating, hiking, and skiing. In addition, he enjoyed several other sports such as tennis, basketball, soccer, and baseball. He coached soccer for all of his children and spent numerous hours at track and swim meets and at soccer games. Chris traveled extensively, recently to his favorite vacation spot, the Norwegian fjords, with his daughter Emily after her college graduation. He enjoyed a family trip to Yellowstone National Park this past fall, and this year celebrated his 25th wedding anniversary with Janet in Croatia, Bosnia, and Slovenia.

Chris' professional community, church, neighborhood, and especially his family respected and loved him immeasurably and they will all miss him deeply. The profound impact of his life will live on in them and many others. Funeral services will be held on Monday, January 6, at 10:00 A.M. at St. Martha Catholic Church, Kingwood, Texas. Burial will be at 12:00 noon in Rosewood Cemetery, Humble, Texas, and a reception at St. Martha Catholic Church will follow the burial. Visitation and Rosary will be held at Darst Funeral Home, Kingwood, Texas on Sunday, January 5 from 4:00-6:00 p.m., with Rosary to start at 4:00 P.M.

In honor of Chris' love for helping those in need, charitable donations may be made to Martha's Kitchen, a soup kitchen for the homeless. Contact St. Martha Catholic Church 281-358-6637, or Sr. Carmen Sanchez 713-224-2522 for details. Service Information A Visitation will be held Sunday from 4-6 P.M. January 5, 2020 at Darst Funeral Home (796 Russell Palmer Rd., Kingwood TX 77339, 281-312-5656). A Funeral Mass will be held Monday 10 A.M. January 6, 2020 at St. Martha Catholic Church (4301 Woodridge Parkway, Porter, TX 77365) Interment will be held Monday 12 P.M. January 6, 2020 at Rosewood Cemetery (2602 S. Houston Ave, Humble, TX 77396, 281 441 2171)