Ferdinand "Ferdie" Gregorio

To Ferdinand Ferguson Gregorio, the entire world was a stage. An expressive, optimistic, and uninhibited individual, he was a performer in the theater of life. To everyone around him, he seemed to be eternally happy, and he willingly shared that joy with anyone whose life he touched. For Ferdinand, bringing out the best in any situation was as easy as offering a smile, a witty remark or the twinkle of an eye. And with just those simple gestures, he could evoke the most pleasant of emotions. Ferdinand really mastered the art of living and had great fun in doing so.

Ferdinand was born on September 22, 1960 to Bonifacio Reyes and Geneva Ferguson Gregorio. He was raised in Valenzuela, Philippines and Los Angeles, California. Even as a child, Ferdinand had the ability to lift the spirits of all those around him. He was raised to be warm, caring and friendly. He couldn’t help but capture everyone’s attention. He was definitely a little bit of a show-off, but in doing so, he succeeded in entertaining his entire family.

Always a good playmate, Ferdinand was easygoing and fun loving. He managed to lighten the mood wherever he was, even during family squabbles. He seemed to have a knack for bringing compromise and erasing tense situations around the house. Due to a generous dose of common sense, Ferdinand managed to find a satisfying solution to basic problems. Ferdinand was raised with 3 siblings. He had an older sister, Rosemary, an older brother, Whet, and a younger sister, Jane.

All of Ferdinand's playful good humor carried over into his childhood. He was possessed with an outgoing personality, a lively imagination and a mellowed enthusiasm for life that allowed him to be constantly on the go. As a result, Ferdinand experienced a rather active childhood, and this suited him very well. He took part in basketball and going to the gym. In his spare time, he liked listening to classic rock songs and working on cars with his Tatay.

Ask anyone who knew him from school and they would tell you that Ferdinand was a class “cut-up.” He didn’t do it to be unkind or to garner all the attention. Rather, Ferdinand simply enjoyed others’ laughter and the sound of his friends and acquaintances having a good time. It could be said that for Ferdinand, grades may not have been the most important thing to him, but he really did enjoy his school experience. Since experience was Ferdinand's best teacher. He enjoyed hands-on learning and applying the “practical” approach to knowledge, rather than getting caught up in “theory”. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers.

Ferdinand never actually encountered a stranger in his dealings with people. He was drawn to individuals and crowds, using his gregarious, adaptable and outgoing personality to captivate his audience. This quality allowed Ferdinand to continually develop new relationships, ever widening his circle of friends. Ferdinand delighted in his role among all his acquaintances because he viewed them all as potential spectators for his performance. Whether it was a story, a joke, a song or just plain fooling around, Ferdinand was always right at home putting on a show among his friends. Ferdinand utilized his interest in others as a great way to connect with them. While growing up, some of his best friends were Rod Alonzo, Edgar Dungo, Cadie, Lito Santos, and Ernesto Minosa. Later in life, he became friends with Paula and Lina Suzuki, Manny and Daisy Bajamunde, Maria and Art Dela Victoria, Chris Zuniga, and Merlino Cruz. Ferdinand loved sharing life and having his home filled with people he knew.

The gift of being emotionally expressive and outwardly affectionate made Ferdinand very easy to approach. On March 29, 1997, Ferdinand exchanged wedding vows with Barbara M. Gomez at Roxas Municipal Hall of Ilagan City, Isabela. He tried hard not to impose on his spouse. He was always sensitive to other people’s feelings, and that was especially true in marriage.

Perhaps the reason Ferdinand related so well to children was the fact that he never really completely grew up himself. The ability to be just a “kid at heart” helped him in raising his own children. Ferdinand was blessed with 5 children, two sons: John Patrick and Kyle Russell and three daughters: Thea, Geneva Marcy, and Audrey Reign. They were also blessed with five grandchildren, Nicholas, Caedyn, Ava, Ayden, and Andrei. Ferdinand had the ability to focus his attention on the present moment. If he was spending time with the kids, that’s where all of his attention was directed. Ferdinand's compassionate side prevented him from being a strict disciplinarian, and he could turn just about any situation into a playful, learning experience. He could spend hours entertaining them with fun and creative play. In fact, Ferdinand had a knack for turning some of those nasty old chores into games.

At work, as in life, Ferdinand was a real “people person.” He had a very successful way of dealing effectively with others, and his enthusiasm and energy were often contagious. Ferdinand liked to see himself as something of a virtuoso. When dealing with various projects and problems, Ferdinand was an adaptable realist, using his common sense and trusting his experiences and impulses to uncover the correct answer. Ferdinand's talent for being a down to earth thinker, allowed many around him to see Ferdinand as an excellent problem solver. His primary occupation was slot tester. He was employed for 4 1/2 years by Scientific Gaming.

Ferdinand enjoyed his leisure time by taking part in various hobbies. An “arts and crafts” type, Ferdinand liked creating and making things. His favorite pursuits were watching basketball, working out, hanging out with his friends and listening to classic rock music. Ferdinand was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Ferdinand felt excited and challenged by sports. Even if he wasn’t the best, Ferdinand loved to participate and thoroughly enjoyed the competition and the pleasure of being around other people. Ferdinand relished the opportunities where he could make an impact, and he would often push himself to play above his abilities. A quick thinker who understood the basics, Ferdinand never seemed to get caught off guard, even when confronted with unexpected conflict. Recreationally, he loved basketball, weightlifting, and cardio exercises. Ferdinand was also something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching his favorite events whenever he got the opportunity. Tops on his list were basketball and football.

Vested with a deep concern for spiritual development, Ferdinand recognized that his faith was important to him throughout his life. He was a member of Saint Sharbel Catholic Church for three years.

Living life to the fullest suited Ferdinand just fine. It is no surprise that he loved to travel and to visit new and different places. He was naturally curious about other parts of the world and loved the real-life adventure that came from visiting them. He was impulsive and willing to try anything once. Favorite vacations included Utah, Arizona, and San Francisco.

Ferdinand was a lover of animals and cherished his pets, enjoying them almost as much as he enjoyed being around other people. One of Ferdinand's favorites was Abbey the cockapoo, Bella the Chihuahua-poodle mix and Lolli the Maltese mix.

Ferdinand passed away on June 12, 2019 at in his home in Las Vegas. He fought hard and gave pancreatic cancer his all. He is survived by his children, John Patrick, Thea, Geneva Marcy, Kyle Russell and Audrey Reign; his grandchildren, Nick, Caedyn, Ava, Ayden and Andrei; his siblings Rosemarie, Whet and Jane; his mother Geneva; and his wife Barbara. Services were held at Palm Southwest Mortuary and Ferdinand was laid to rest in Palm Eastern Mortuary and Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ferdinand brought joy to all of those around him. He never had a mean bone in his body. He loved to have a good time and was an eternal optimist, always looking on the bright side of things. He loved to share his energy, wit, and his zest for all of his activities with his friends and family. Ferdinand Ferguson Gregorio lived life to its fullest and made everyone around him happier just for knowing him. He will be remembered with a smile.