John is survived by his mother Helen Hurd, sister Nancy McLeod (Greg), nephews Riley McLeod, Jamie McLeod, niece Emma McLeod, brother Thomas (Ellen), nephew Sean Gayland (Tiffany), brother Michael (Jennifer) and loving partner Patricia Kelly. He is predeceased by his father John Moore Riley and his wife Carol Froese.
John was born on June 6, 1957 in Montreal, Quebec. He graduated from Upper Canada College and pursued a BSc in Physics and a Doctorate degree in Biology at the University of Waterloo before completing post-doctoral work with Yale University in New Haven Connecticut. He married Carol in 2000 and had a distinguished career as a Senior Scientist with Sanofi Pasteur Ltd for more than 20 years.
John was an accomplished musician, avid model airplane enthusiast, aspiring astronaut, sourdough bread wizard, pilot, and proud owner of a Cessna 152. John had an unquenchable thirst for life and could often be found on Saturdays at the Pilot Tavern grooving to jazz or back home jamming in the basement with his friends into the wee hours of the morning. John was a diehard Deadhead, a certified clown, herbal practitioner and often rocked a leather jacket and green Converse Allstars. He will forever be remembered as a fun loving, generous and outgoing spirit who was the life of the party and the last man standing.
All are welcome to attend and celebrate John's life in the Spring of 2021 at a time and place to be announced at a future date. In lieu of flowers, kindly send donations to MusiCounts.
The family would like to thank John’s many friends, co-workers and the staff of Sunnybrook and Bridgepoint for their help, support, and compassion through an exceedingly difficult time.
“Going home, going home
By the waterside I will rest my bones
Listen to the river sing sweet songs
To rock my soul”
-Grateful Dead, Broke-down Palace
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