Gregorio Estareja Conde

Gregorio Estareja Conde, was born on November 6, 1950, in Gubat, Sorsogon, Philippines. He grew up in Oas, Albay, went to St. Peter Catholic School, Ligao, and went to St. Michael Catholic High School, Oas. From there, he graduated in 1974 at St. Thomas Aquinas University, Legazpi, as an Engineer. 

He later arrived in San Francisco, CA, in 1980, where he eventually joined the United States Navy, from March 11, 1981 to September 1, 1989. During his Tours of Duty, he was stationed in Spain, Puerto Rico, Japan, Korea, Guam, back to the Philippines and San Diego. He loved to play tennis everywhere while in the Navy. Every time they were deployed, his commander made sure to bring him along so that they could play tennis when it hits 3pm, and everyone would get jealous of him.

He met his wife, Helen, in 1981. At the time, Helen and her sister, Imelda, were applying for a job at Whittier Hospital, where they met Aida, who was one of Greg’s town mates in Oas, Albay, who was an employed nurse. Aida invited Helen and Imelda to her house where she introduced Greg to Helen. Greg was later deployed to Japan and started writing Helen a lot of letters. He then proposed to Helen with a diamond ring and they both got married civil in November 15, 1984, on Helen’s birthday. On January 4, 1986, they had their wedding at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, Rowland Heights. Helen later gave birth to two sons, Gregory III, August 24, 1986, and Daniel, December 18, 1988.

After the Navy, he worked with the US Army Corps of Engineers from 1993 to 1998 as an engineer. From 1998 to 2008, he started his own company as a general contractor and named it Greco Construction. 

In the year 2000, Greg and Helen, went to the do the pilgrimage in the Holy land. They went to Jerusalem, Israel and Rome, Italy. During their trip, when they were at the Wailing Wall, they were asked to write on a piece of paper what they wished for and to place it in the wall. Greg wrote on that paper that he thanked God for bringing him there and asked what he can do to serve God back. When they both came back home to the US, that’s when Greg started his mission to serve God. He started by joining the Men’s Cursillo. He started going back and forth to the Philippines and built his own private cemetery. He donated two Divine Mercy statues, one inside St. Michael Church and one outside St. Michael Academy School. He donated four Nazareno statues, one in a chapel in Barangay Rizal, Oas, Albay, one in a chapel in Barangay Budiao, Daraga, one in a chapel in Barangay Bagsa, Oas and one in a chapel in Sorsogon. The one that he keeps in his house is the one used for the procession for the Feast of Nazareno every January 9th. He also donated an Our Lady of Salvation statue in a chapel in Anislag, Daraga, Albay. Every May, he sponsors the Flores de Mayo in the chapel of his cemetery for nine days, feeding all the children. Every November 1st, he hosts a mass at the cemetery for All Souls Day. In the US, he participated in the Santa Cruzan / Flores de Mayo using the image of Our Lady of Fatima. In December, he also participated in the Simbang Gabi also using the image of Our Lady of Fatima. Every Men and Women Cursillo event, he would bring the image of Our Lady of Fatima to use for the retreats. He eventually taught both his sons to take over and bring the image to all the events while him and his wife were retired in the Philippines. 

Greg got sick on December 30, 2025. He passed away February 6, 2026, at home as hospice as he wished in Baldwin Park, CA. He leaves a legacy that will continue through his wife and sons.