Granville James Junior Riley
1976 -2025
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Granville James Junior Riley at Grand River Hospital in Waterloo, Ontario, on Wednesday June 18, 2025, at the age of 48. Granville was born in Cambridge, Ontario, in 1976.
Granville spent the earliest years of his life on the Hespeler side of Cambridge, where he attended Maple Grove Public School and Hespeler Public School. He spent much of his time exploring the suburban outdoors with his friends and older siblings, where he developed a passion for sports. But it’s on the high school track while attending Galt Collegiate Institute (GCI) that Granville created an athletic legacy that still lives to this day.
Granville was a proficient hurdler who set five school records in the hurdles and high jump, as well as three additional school records in the relays. In his first year of high school (1992), he was an OFSAA champion in the 100m hurdles and followed that up the next year with another provincial championship in the 4x100m relay. In three years, he amassed a total of 15 individual and relay championship wins at the WCSSAA, CWOSSA, and OFSAA West Regional levels. He also set a total of six hurdle records at the WCSSAA and CWOSSA levels, many of which still stand more than 30 years later.
Granville didn’t just excel in sports; his performance as Petrie in a radio play performance of The Land Before Time is fondly remembered by many. In his adult years, Granville was passionate about technology and computers and was especially adept with a set of tools, always fixing bikes and electronics.
Granville will be lovingly remembered by his daughter, Kyara, his mother, Cloreith, and siblings Ray, Angela, and Marcus. He was predeceased by his father, Reynold. He was a loving uncle to Ashleigh, Justine, Brittany, Grayson, and Will, as well as a brother-in-law to Tracy, Jude, and Natalie. He will be remembered fondly by scores of aunts, uncles, and cousins in Canada, England, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and multiple other Caribbean islands.
A celebration of life will be announced for July. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Granville James Junior Riley Legacy Fund, benefiting the University Avenue Transitional Program, as an expression of sympathy.
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