Kamal Shanbour

Kamal Shanbour was born March 4, 1935 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, the youngest of 5 children to Saliba Farris (Sam) Shanbour and Najla (Dorothy) Shanbour. Kamal was a graduate of Mount St. Mary’s High School where he was a stand-out athlete in both baseball and football. After high school he served in the U. S. Army and was a veteran of the Korean War. Thereafter, Kamal attended and graduated from Central State College (University of Central Oklahoma) receiving his Bachelor-of-Arts in Education with an emphasis in Biology and Chemistry. Subsequently, he taught High School Biology and Chemistry at Northwest Classen, U. S. Grant, and Putnam City West High School in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. While teaching, Kamal also coached sports (in various capacities) at the 3 aforementioned high schools whose teams were very successful, namely: Football, Track and Field, Tennis and Swimming with his love being Football. While teaching and coaching, Kamal also managed multiple movie theaters in the Oklahoma City area for his older brothers Farris and George Shanbour. Among those theaters were the South Park Cinema 4, Plaza Theater, Heritage Park 4, Park Terrace and the Hillcrest Drive-in. Kamal was an avid runner who ran 3 miles a day from the early 1970s until his later years. He placed in the top three in many marathons including but not limited to the Senior division of the Red Bud Classic in Oklahoma City.

After retirement, along with visiting Remington Park Horse Races and Las Vegas, Nevada, with his wife Sandy until her death in 2011, the delight of Kamal’s life and favorite activity was to follow and attend all his 6 grandchildren’s activities and sports competitions. He rarely missed a game or event involving his grandchildren and even helped his son(s) coach his grandson Quinn in youth Football to a City championship.

Kamal was preceded in death by his wife, Sandy June Shanbour; his parents, Saliba Farris Shanbour and Najla Shanbour; 1 sister, Mary Geneva Shanbour; 3 brothers: Farris Sam Shanbour, George Shanbour, and Lindberg “Lindy” John Shanbour; and 1 nephew, Stephen Farris Shanbour.

Kamal is survived by his 4 sons: Richard Livingston Shanbour of Oklahoma City, OK, Kamal Anthony Shanbour of Edmond, OK (wife, Victoria Shanbour), Brian Michael Shanbour of Edmond, OK (wife, Larisa T. Shanbour); and Marcus Allen Shanbour of Oklahoma City, OK; 6 grandchildren: Maria Nicole Shanbour Maupin (husband, Jerimiah Maupin), Trisha Geneva Shanbour Goga (husband, Ryan Goga), Quinn Anthony Shanbour (wife, Alexis Shanbour), Torie Ann Shanbour, Jacqueline Olivia Shanbour, and Marina Marie Shanbour; and 7 great-grandchildren: Anthony Jacob Maupin, Harper Marie Maupin, Easton James Maupin, Nora Victoria Goga, Charlotte Paige Shanbour, Vivian Elizabeth Goga, and Maverick Anthony Shanbour. Moreover, he is also survived by a nephew, Gregory F. Shanbour (wife, Stephanie Shanbour); and two stepchildren: Jim Nix, Jr. and Voisey Nix.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Eugene Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Burial Park.

To watch the Mass online, click here.