George Kampalath

Born in 1932 in Kozhikode, in the Indian state of Kerala, he distinguished himself as a good student from an early age, and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, and master’s degrees in theology and sociology. Not only a scholar but an athlete, he was skilled at soccer, ping pong, swimming, volleyball, badminton, and his favorite sport, tennis, all of which he taught to his kids, often mesmerizing them and their friends by diving to the bottom of the 12 foot deep end of their neighborhood pool or punting a soccer ball so high it seemed to disappear into the sun.

He loved his family with his whole being, and rarely expressed his own desires or dislikes, unless he thought they would also align with the interests of the family as a whole. He was embarrassingly proud of his wife, kids, and grandkids, and they cringed often when overhearing him boast about their accomplishments. They continue to strive to be the people he always believed them to be.

Although he spoke multiple languages, it was his adopted English that he loved the most. Called a “living library” by his children and grandchildren, he took pride in being able to define any English word, from “vituperative” to “ontology,” without hesitation.

He cherished the time spent in his home library, which grew to over 2000 books and could not be contained within his study, bursting forth into every room and turning Chesterton, Shakespeare, and Shaw into household names.

He was a fervent, tireless, and sometimes pugnacious Catholic. He loved his Rosary, which he prayed every day. At the same time he had a lifelong suspicion of religious fanaticism, and taught his children to love the message of Jesus while rejecting thoughtless dogmatism.

George is survived by his wife Thresia, his children Rony and Rita, their spouses, Mimi and Charles, and his three grandchildren, Sorenne, Cormac, and Kiran.

A visitation will be held at Earthman Bellaire Funeral Home, 4525 Bissonnet St, Bellaire, TX 77401, US, on May 21, 2026, from 4:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

A Rosary and Vigil Service will take place on May 21, 2026, beginning at 6:00 pm.