Jamal Isa Qatato

Jamal Isa Qatato was born on June 2, 1931 to Isa and Miriam Qatato in Birzeit, Palestine. He had two brothers and four sisters. Jamal was the last of his siblings to pass away. His father died young and thus he did not have the opportunity to know or remember him. Jamal's nature and strength was attributable to his mother Miriam. She raised all seven children by herself in a small three room home on the family farm harvesting olive trees, grape vineyards and wheat. His mother lived to the age of 102. Jamal plowed the land on the farm using homemade tools pulled by a mule all day long using work breaks to memorize Arabic poems and learn English. Early on, Jamal recognized the importance of education to attain a more prosperous life. He attended the Catholic elementary and middle schools in Birzeit serving as an altar boy and class conductor. He graduated from Al-Ahlieh High school in Ramallah, Palestine in 1952. Jamal passed the State General Examination required to teach science. He taught science at the Orthodox middle school in Ajloun, Jordan and Orthodox high school in As-Salt, Jordan. Jamal pursued a higher education in the Unites States although it required him to leave the Holy Land for the Land of Opportunity. He was accepted to the University of Bridgeport in Connecticut sponsored by his brother Jamil and wife Mary. Jamal began his journey by flying from Jordan to Lebanon to board a Greek passenger ship sailing to Italy. The SS Constitution ocean liner brought him from Italy to New York, a 25 day sea voyage passing through Ellis Island. Jamal worked many different jobs putting himself through college including stocking clerk at A&P grocery store, dockworker unloading containerships, airport restaurant busboy, part-time student union job, repairing oil pumps, pipes and tanks, mining lead and silver and was awarded an assistantship by his chemistry professor at the Indiana Institute of Technology. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Indiana Institute of Technology on May 27, 1960. However, one degree was not enough, Jamal furthered his higher education by completing another Bachelor of Science in Mining Engineering from the University of Washington on December 18, 1962. Exactly four years later, Jamal returned to Birzeit to marry his loving wife Angele at the Orthodox Church and celebrated their Honeymoon in Athens, Greece before returning together to the United States. Jamal encouraged and supported Angele in attaining her two degrees, a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education. Angele is a retired mathematics teacher from Lake Travis High School in Austin. Jamal and Angele were blessed with three wonderful sons, Jalal, Kamal and Talal. All three sons graduated from St. Stephen's Episcopal High School in Austin. They also received their higher-education degrees from The University of Texas at Austin. Between 1967 and 1975, Jamal sponsored four nephews from Birzeit to attend college in the United States. Ibrahim Natour, Isa Qatato, Yacoub Qatato, Nedal Shehadeh and his brother-in-law Qusta Kassisieh. At times, these nephews lived with them in Hobbs, New Mexico as they acquainted themselves to the American way of life. Jamal was a chemical engineer employed by Kerr McGee Corporation from 1960 through 1980, with most of these years spent at the Carlsbad potash plant in New Mexico. From early 1981 until his retirement to Austin at the end of 1990, Jamal was employed with Aramco in Saudi Arabia. In retirement, he took great pleasure serving the community as a substitute teacher at West Ridge Middle School and Lake Travis High School. Jamal left a legacy much beyond higher education, but of enduring love and enormous strength. The love of his wife Angele, the love of his three sons, the love of his five granddaughters, the love of family and friends, the love of his land back home, the love of his Austin home and the love of his proud Palestinian heritage and culture. He was as strong as ever after being diagnosed with Mesothelioma, a terminal cancer solely attributable to asbestos exposure. Although the asbestos cancer took a toll on his body during the last week of his life, his mind was as sharp as ever, and he refused to use a walker at the age of 94 until his final few days. Jamal never gave up hope to reach his mother Miriam's age. He passed away on November 17, 2025 surrounded by his loving family. Jamal Isa Qatato, the devoted husband and exceptional father, will forever be remembered for his uncompromising honesty and integrity, not to mention the wisdom he passed along. He will be immensely missed by all those he touched in word and deed. Jamal is survived by his wife of 58 years Angele and sons Jalal, Kamal and his wife Shy and Talal. Seedo (Grandpa) Jamal adored his five surviving precious granddaughters Hadley, Presley, Parker, Aaliyah and Aamirah. His physical absence will be especially missed during this holiday season of Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving, the American Holiday he cherished the most as a foreign student because American families always invited him to join in the feast as one of their own. Our Dad's family generation chapter has sadly closed, but they will forever be remembered in our hearts. May God rest his soul and return him full circle to the Holy Land granting him eternal life. "Allah yerhamak yaba." May God have mercy on you, my father. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church Building Expansion Fund to honor Jamal lending his time and engineering expertise while serving on the Building Committee during the earlier days of the church's growing parishioners. Please click on the link below to donate to the Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church Austin, Texas Building Expansion Fund by selecting either "Building Expansion Phase 2" or "Building Expansion Phase 1" in the dropdown "Fund" menu and kindly typing "In Memory of Jamal Qatato" within the "Memo" box. https://onrealm.org/TGOC/-/form/give/now Services Viewing Tuesday, November 25th, 8:30am to 9:00am Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church 414 St. Stephens School Rd., Austin, Texas 78746 Funeral Service Tuesday, November 25th, 9:00am to 10:00am Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church 414 St. Stephens School Rd., Austin, Texas 78746 Interment Tuesday, November 25th, 11:00am to Noon Cook-Walden Capital Parks Cemetery 14501 North IH-35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660 (Police escort from Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church to Capital Parks Cemetery immediately following the funeral service) Mercy Meal Dimassi's Mediterranean Buffet 1651 North IH-35, Round Rock, Texas 78664 (Following the Interment)

Jamal Isa Qatato

June 2, 1931 - November 17, 2025