Services have been scheduled for Al Estorga, the former owner of Estorga’s Collision Repair in Long Beach, Calif., who passed away September 6 at the age of 79. Estorga, a third-generation collision repairer, was CEO of Estorga’s Collision Repair Center located in Long Beach Calif., starting in 1970. He served as president of the California Autobody Association in 1983. Estorga was also credited with “hatching the idea” and founding the Collision Repair Conference (CRC) in 1983, now known as the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), and serving at its first chairman from 1983-1985.
Al Estorga, former CEO of Estorga’s Collision Repair, president of the CAA and the person credited with coming up with the idea for the Collision Industry Conference, passed away September 6 at the age of 79.
Estorga was inducted in 1989 into the inaugural class of the Collision Industry Hall of Eagles, the collision industry’s Hall of Fame.
“I was a third-generation body shop owner with three years of college and some military education. At this time, I was president of the California Autobody Association and had held all the executive offices for this organization. I was very frustrated with the associations in our industry as it seemed that they were more concerned with growing members and egos,” said Estorga in comments included as part of a presentation on the history of CIC in 2005. “I was also tired of the attitudes of the insurance adjusters and supervisors, as they had no respect for the owners of the shops.”
Explaining how he came up with the idea for the conference, Estorga continued, ““I decided it was time to stand up to these supervisors and adjusters and go over their heads and deal with the guys who really had the power to make changes.”
“I felt that if we presented these executives with the issues we were having and made them aware of how important it was for them to have good shops to provide their policy holders, they would help us make the changes,” Estorga continued. “We worked together to develop a forum where any issue could be addressed.”
The schedule for services is:
Visitation
Thursday, September 19, 2024
4:00 PM – 8:00 PM
All Souls Mortuary
4400 Cherry Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90807
Mass of Christian Burial
Friday, September 20, 2024
11:00 AM
St. Bartholomew Catholic Church
5100 E. Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90803
Committal Service
Friday, September 20, 2024
12:30 PM
All Souls Cemetery
4400 Cherry Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90807
Celebration of Life
Friday, September 20, 2024
2:30 PM – 5:30 PM
Spaghettini Italian Restaurant
3005 Old Ranch Parkway
Seal Beach, CA 90740
More information on services and condolences can be left at the All Souls Mortuary website.
In a post on social media, his family invited his friends in the industry to attend and to RSVP online.
“We invite you to pay your respect and celebrate our father who went home to be with the lord on 9-6-2024. Though our hearts are heavy with loss, we are relieved he is no longer battling his health issues and can finally rest in peace,” the family explained in the social media post. “We are so proud of everything he accomplished in his lifetime and all the people he touched in this world. He is a Legend to us and set the bar so very high. We pledge to reach for the stars and live up to the Estorga name, breaking boundaries others thought were impossible.”