Eileen Anne Krampitz

There's a funny thing about the universe - that great God, Goddess, Buddha, Buddh-es, higher power - it sends you someone so special that losing them feels like you'll come unglued and will never be whole again...but also the knowing that time marches on and you with it...the knowing that those shattered pieces will slide back together like kintsugi pottery, all the more beautiful because of their brokenness.

Eileen Anne Krampitz was one of those special people to so many. She came into this world on December 12, 1946, and quietly slipped away from us on November 16, 2025. While we were not ready to say goodbye, Eileen would encourage us to embrace the grief, get some therapy (cuz we all need it), and laugh that hearty laugh while saying "I'm outta here suckers. Eat some ice cream in my honor!"

Born to Frank & Catherine Krampitz (Gorman) of Sealy, Texas, Eileen was the eldest of four children and the only girl. She was an adoring sister to John, Tom, & Jason and a (mostly) obedient daughter who excelled at school and was a cheerleader for the Fightin' Sealy Tigers. When she graduated in 1965, the bright lights of Austin beckoned (but only after being rejected by Texas A&M - they were not accepting girls quite yet.) Once at UT Austin, Eileen quickly and delightedly flunked out, all the while having so much fun attending civil rights protests, smoking cigarettes, playing guitar, living in a co-op, and making lifelong friends. One summer, she would hitch a ride in a car full of strangers heading to the East Coast, leading to her next chapter.

Eileen would marry one of those strangers, Tom Wright, and bring two children into the world, Ian & Sarah, whom she would nurture and help grow into (mostly) complete and functional adults. She taught them about justice, compassion, and how to side-eye authority with style. She would show them in her words and deeds what mattered as she achieved her goals in life: returning to UT Austin & earning both a bachelor's & master's degree in social work as a single mom. She would take them to plays and concerts, on trips and adventures. She was funny and smart and a wonderful Mom. There were broken pieces, sure, but she worked hard to be a good mom, and we loved her for it.

Eileen would share these same wonderful traits and her love of art with her much-adored granddaughter, Elizabeth Rose, in the role of fun and supportive Granny. Eileen and Elizabeth shared a special bond from day one that manifested in weekend slumber parties full of pretending & paper & glue & magic. There were Starbucks dates, trips with the squirrel girls, volunteering at the animal shelter, and sharing musical tastes; it was a special type of love unique to them. That love just expanded when Elizabeth met and married Mr. G (Garrison). Eileen embraced Garrison with that same enthusiasm she brought to everything: find the connection and nurture it. Eileen would rekindle her love of football and golf early in Elizabeth's relationship with Mr. G, just so they could talk about it at family dinners. If she loved you, you knew it. The love exploded even further when their family grew to include her great-grandson, Bowen. She researched his toys like a scholar, presented them with glee, and bragged about him like it was her full-time job. When Ian brought Gina into the family, Eileen would embrace her and work to find ways to connect with and support her. That's just who she was, always seeking connections & making people feel welcome and loved.

And when the words didn't work, she'd grab you and give you the biggest, softest hug.

Along with being a devoted Mom & Granny, Eileen dedicated her heart to her work as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She worked as a front-line case worker for CPS, led a therapeutic team at a residential treatment center, managed foster care agencies & finished her career as a crisis counselor at Stony Point High School in Round Rock, Texas. "Ms. K", as she was known, would impact the lives of many students in what she would often say was her favorite part of her entire career. She loved the chaos of the high school and the amazing kids she worked with. She kept in touch with many of her former students, and her social media is littered with encouraging words of support and love for those students, even now, almost ten years after she retired.

Eileen had a gift: people just wanted to share their stories with her, and she wanted to listen. She approached situations with her heart first and a listening ear. She would befriend anyone, offer encouragement, and quickly join them in their corner of the fight. Eileen had the rare gift of being someone strangers instantly confided in. Baristas, servers, cashiers - they all told her their entire life stories, and she remembered every detail.
She collected people the way others collect stamps or books: joyfully, intentionally, and forever.

She was a proud yellow-dog democrat, feminist, & survivor. She was appalled by the state of our nation and took part in two protests recently, proudly displaying her handmade Mr. Rogers & King Friday poster; channeling her old hippie self and loving every minute of it!

Above all, Eileen was a fighter. For herself. For others. For what was right. She was complex and hilarious and stubborn and generous and brilliant — the kind of person you don't get over, not really.

Eileen is survived by her son, Ian Wright & his partner Gina; daughter, Sarah Wright; granddaughter, Elizabeth Nordt; Elizabeth's husband, Garrison; and her great-grandson Bowen. She is also survived by her three brothers, John, Tom & Jason Krampitz, their wives, and many nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly. She is preceded in death by, well... a whole lot of people, duh.

She loved big. She laughed heartily and often. She squeezed hard. She was the best Mom, Granny, Great Granny, Sister, Aunt, friend, Sober Sister and more. Losing Eileen may break us for a time, but the coming back together - all of us in our grief and joy and wonder - those cracks now illuminated with gold - that's the good part. That's the part Eileen would love - that she brought us together one more time.

A celebration of her life will be held on January 10th, 2026, in The Woodlands, Texas. More details will be shared in the coming days on Eileen's Facebook, Instagram & here.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to your local food bank, social justice organization, women's shelter, or library.

(For the love of Eileen, don't donate using the auto-generated links below - stick it to the man and donate locally!)