Alberto C Pie, MD

With love and gratitude, we remember Dr. Alberto Chua Pie, a devoted husband, loving father, and respected physician, who passed away on August 13, 2025, at the age of 82.

Born on November 15, 1942, in Leyte, Philippines, to Tiaosoy Chua and Pascuala Pie, Alberto’s early years were shaped by the close-knit bonds of family and the values of perseverance, kindness, humility, and service to others. He carried those values across oceans, building a remarkable life that touched countless people.

A man of exceptional intellect and dedication, Alberto graduated valedictorian from the Cebu Institute of Medicine in Cebu, Philippines. As a medical doctor specializing in internal medicine, he devoted his career to healing with both skill and compassion.

It was during his time working at Chong Hua Hospital in Cebu that Alberto met the love of his life, Helen Palencia, who was then studying nursing. Their shared dedication to caring for others blossomed into a deep and enduring love, and in 1971, they were married in the Philippines. Shortly after, Alberto emigrated to the United States to begin building their new life. Later that same year, after the birth of their first daughter, Nannette, Helen joined him in America. They went on to share more than 40 years together, a partnership grounded in mutual respect, warmth, and devotion. Helen passed away in 2017, but her memory remained a constant source of comfort and inspiration to Alberto.

After building a home in Forked River, NJ in 1980, Alberto maintained a private practice in Lacey Township that was attached to the home where he and Helen raised their family. In addition, his later career spanned nearly every corner of medicine, including serving as an ER physician, an Urgent Care Center physician, and working as a hospitalist—before the term even existed—in several local hospitals. He also served as a physician in the prison system and later became a traveling physician for the Department of Veterans Affairs, caring for those who had served their country. Though he tried to retire more than once, his calling kept pulling him back—finally stepping away from medicine after his third (or maybe fourth) “attempt to retire.”

When not working in the U.S. or joining medical missions in the Philippines with Helen, Alberto embraced his faith and love of travel through several pilgrimages to sacred destinations, including Rome, Jerusalem, Spain, and Turkey, among others. Since 1980, Alberto and Helen, together with their son Robert, had been devoted parishioners of St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church in Forked River, where they nurtured their spiritual life and built lifelong friendships. They were also deeply involved with Bukas Loob sa Diyos, a Filipino Christian community, where their faith, fellowship, and service enriched both their lives and the lives of others.

He was a proud and loving father to Nannette and her husband Jerry Leahy of Barnegat, NJ, Cindy and her partner Chris Adams of Raleigh, NC, and Robert. His joy extended to his cherished “grandpuppies” — Annabelle, Celeste, Emma, and Whitney — who brought him warmth and laughter in his later years.

He is also survived by his siblings Eduardo Chua, Vickie Chan, Bebe Tio, and Odong Chua, along with numerous nieces, nephews, and friends in North America and Asia who will carry his memory forward.

Viewing will be held on Monday, August 18, 2025, from 2–4 p.m. and 7–9 p.m. at Layton’s Home For Funerals, Forked River, NJ. A funeral mass will take place at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, Forked River, NJ, followed by interment.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages acts of kindness—big or small—in Alberto’s memory, reflecting the way he lived every day.

Those who knew Alberto will remember his warm smile, humble nature, quiet wit, and gentle wisdom. He had a gift for making people feel at ease—whether through a thoughtful word, a shared story from his boyhood in Leyte, or a simple act of kindness. He loved good food, good company, and the small, unhurried moments that made life rich. His presence brought comfort, his laughter lightened hearts, and his steadfast love will forever be a source of strength for those who were blessed to know him.

Though his presence is no longer with us, Alberto’s legacy endures—in the lives he healed, the hearts he touched, and the love story he shared with Helen, now reunited in eternal peace.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Alberto C Pie, MD, please visit our floral store.