Eugene John Goll

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.