Gregory Leo Ventresca

1957 - 2023

Gregory Leo Ventresca was born June 23, 1957. Like the cars that were made the same year, he was a classic. Greg was kind and brave. While at Gunn High School, Greg entered the Santa Clara County's Science Fair and won The Synopsys Championship with a giant sculpture of a brain with a legend as to the name and functionality of each part. As a young adult, Greg volunteered at CARR teaching disabled children how to swim.Then when Greg was nineteen, while a passenger in his friend's car, the car was T-boned in an intersection. Greg suffered a brain injury. He was comatose for six weeks until he awoke in Stanford Hospital. Greg fought to overcome the physical challenges from his brain injury. He then took a gap year or two in Europe. He flew back to the United States from Europe with his girlfriend and attended San Jose State where he majored in Industrial Technology ("IT"). Varian Associates hired Greg as a Technician when he was still earning his IT degree.Before his injury progressed too far, sometimes on the weekends, Greg watched his niece Adele's children, Jim and Stephanie. Jim and Stephanie have fond memories of their "sassy" Great Uncle Greg watching them and remembering that he gave them ice cream. Friends and neighbors say that Greg was the last person to leave the fires in Boulder Creek. He stayed in harm's way to shut off the propane tanks of the houses near him.Because of his brain injury, many people who didn't know Greg well failed to treat him with the kindness, compassion, and dignity that he often showed to others. Although, some who knew Greg became great friends with him! His friends appreciated that Greg was lively and full of spirit! Unfortunately, Greg passed away on July 7, 2023, in Boulder Creek, California two weeks after his 66th birthday.Greg was survived by his sisters, Benita, Patrice, and Joan. Greg was survived by his niece Adele Schneidereit, Adele's husband, Jeff, and their two children Jim and Stephanie. Greg was survived by his niece, Cindy Flynn, her husband Patrick and their two kids, James Patrick and Camille. Greg was survived by his nephew, Galen, and his niece Ali. Services on Saturday, August 5, 2023 at 10 am St. Nicholas Church 473 Lincoln Ave., Los Altos, CA 94022.