George Alan Costello Neumayr

George Alan Costello Neumayr, author and journalist, died on January 19, 2023, in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. While visiting Africa for the first time, George passed away suddenly at the age of 50 after a brief illness. He died doing what he loved, investigative journalism.

George was born on July 16, 1972, in Northridge, California, and was the fifth child of seven. George was precociously curious and articulate from a young age. As a child, he adored wearing his favorite Buster Brown shorts and red cap, seeking out interesting conversations with anyone he came across. On his daily walk to school, he’d strike up conversation with anyone he met, be it the utility worker or the local librarian. He attended elementary and high school in Thousand Oaks, California, where his keen mind and fearlessness emerged in his conversations with teachers and classmates. He played competitive baseball and basketball. It was also around this time that he began a life-long interest in golf, a sport he greatly enjoyed up until the end of his life.

It was during George’s high school years that his intellectual and spiritual formation accelerated, influenced in large part by his family. One of his greatest influences was his father, Jack Neumayr, a professor and founder of Thomas Aquinas College. It was from him that George began to develop a strong interest in philosophy, theology, history, and politics. George’s mother, Bridget Neumayr, an Oxford scholar, professor and editor, imparted in George a love for the written word and the highest standard of excellence in writing. During his grandparents’ summer trips to California, George enjoyed countless hours with his beloved grandfather James Cameron, a British poet, philosopher, author and professor, drawing great inspiration from his conversion to the Catholic faith, his writings and many colorful encounters with famous writers, politicians and thinkers in England.

From 1990-1994, George attended the University of San Francisco’s St. Ignatius Institute where he thrived, graduating magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. His time at USF had many highlights, including writing a weekly editorial for the campus paper, The Foghorn. Through his insightful weekly editorials, his writing became well known both on campus and throughout San Francisco. Indeed, it was here that he found his vocation as a journalist, and where he began to defend the teaching of the Catholic Church. While at USF, he also took a strong interest in debate and was the Founder and President of the USF Debate Society. In his junior year, George chose to study abroad, attending Blackfriars College in Oxford, England where he was an active participant in the Oxford Student Union. Additionally, while at USF, George wrote for The National Catholic Register, and was awarded a coveted internship at the White House, working in the Office of the Vice President, an experience that was formative in shaping his thoughts about national politics.

Following graduation, George embarked on his writing career. He attended a summer Thomistic Institute at Notre Dame followed by studies at the National Journalism Center in Washington, DC, where he worked with syndicated columnist and commentator Robert Novak. George became a prolific writer and investigative journalist, as well as an editor at a number of magazines and newspapers as he continued to hone his talents for journalism. He served as the Editor of the Catholic newspaper The San Francisco Faith, where one of his assignments led to his meeting with then Cardinal Ratzinger who was to become Pope Benedict XVI, a great honor that was not lost on George. George subsequently worked in Los Angeles as the Op-Ed Editor of Investor’s Business Daily, not only engaging writers and editing their work for the opinion pages, but penning profiles of many famous Americans including Mark Twain, George Gallup, Will Rogers, and Walt Disney. George was also a member of the editorial board of the California Political Review. Due to his excellence in journalism, he was named a media fellow at Stanford’s prestigious Hoover Institution.

From 2006-2011, George served as the Editor of Catholic World Report. At the time he became editor, he wrote: “The role of the Catholic media is to present the news, good and bad, honestly, chronicling the crises that afflict the world and the Church while advancing truths that provide the only hope of overcoming them. Though obviously in a less significant way, Catholic journalists, like the writers of the Bible, are in the business of reporting God’s truth.” Throughout his career he never veered from this position.

While he wrote for many notable publications, it was at The American Spectator where George blossomed as a writer and commentator on the national scene, under the friendship, mentorship, and support of the Spectator’s founder and Editor-in-Chief, Bob Tyrell. For the two decades preceding his death, his writings for The American Spectator secured him a strong, conservative following of loyal readers and fans. At the time of his death he was a Senior Editor, writing several columns each week on a wide range of topics, from politics to religion to popular culture. His writing career brought him in contact with famous actors such as Charlton Heston, literary figures such as Tom Wolfe, and similar personalities among media, economists, diplomats, politicians, businessmen and most notoriously churchmen. He would savor many of his conversations with these individuals and could recall in great detail the matters discussed.

George leaves behind a large body of work, including three books: The Biden Deception (2020), The Political Pope (2017), and the national bestseller No Higher Power: Obama’s War on Religious Freedom (2012, co-authored with Phyllis Schlafly). His legacy of work includes hundreds of articles published in the Washington Examiner, Washington Times, Daily Caller, The Hill, The Guardian, National Review, Church Militant, Crisis Magazine, Human Events, New Oxford Review, The Stream, and many other publications. His articles were often reprinted by Real Clear Politics and its affiliated sites where they would frequently be the most read article of the day. He participated in numerous radio and television interviews and podcasts, and inspired frequent citation and attention from the great Rush Limbaugh.

While quiet and reserved in his manner, George was forthright and courageous in his writing and public speaking, raising the issues he believed were critical to the future of the country and the Catholic Church. He spoke clearly, articulately, and very pointedly about politics, religion and culture—over time, George raised the journalistic bar in his field.

George was a voracious learner. He enjoyed spending time in the local libraries and bookstores, and constantly engaged people in the places he visited. He particularly enjoyed talking to the wide range of people he would meet at local cigar lounges or other gathering places, and to glean their thoughts about the local politics, history and surroundings. He also loved to travel and would often drive far out of his way to visit historic sites, state capitols, landmarks, national parks and museums. His reporting took him to Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and most recently Africa. He spoke most fervently about his life-changing trip to the Holy Land.

George had a great wit, keen sense of humor and unforgettable laugh. He developed a unique insight into almost every human interaction. This aspect of his personality became a potent asset, as he used these talents with great effectiveness in his investigatory journalism— finding the hypocrisy, irony and humor in the human condition, which gave him a powerful ability to identify the truth and motivations behind public figures in his fight for the good of the Catholic Church, the United States, and the world. He was an extraordinarily prescient political reporter and commentator, a fearless prophet, and patriot of his time who dedicated his career and life to defending God and country. His family takes comfort knowing that George died doing what he loved best, investigative journalism in defense of the Church.

George will always be remembered as a beloved son, brother, nephew and godfather to his family and friends. He is survived by his mother, four sisters, two brothers, thirteen nieces and nephews, and godchildren. His family is grateful to the many friends who have stepped forward in their love and support of George. Finally, the family is comforted by the outpouring of appreciation from the readers who have walked with George in his life as a journalist and followed him faithfully throughout his career.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on March 7, 2023, at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Alexandria, Virginia. To continue George’s legacy of reporting God’s truth, donations may be made in his name to The American Spectator.