John L. Riley, 59, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family on October 23, 2014.
He was born in Boston, MA on November 14, 1954 to the late John and Grace (Avery) Riley.
John graduated from Don Bosco Technical High School and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. He proudly trained at the United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School in Quantico, VA. He also played baseball in the Boston Park League and umpired for several years.
John worked as a teacher of building technology and mathematics at Don Bosco Tech and held other jobs in the building trade.
After recovering from a brain injury in 1993, John lived happily and to his fullest in West Roxbury where he had many friends. He was a daily communicant at Holy Name Parish and an avid Boston sports fan. He loved to travel to visit with family and friends.
John was a loyal, dedicated, loving and caring man. He was known for his infectious laugh, positive nature and good sense of humor.
John is survived by his son Sean Riley and Julianne Coneys, his daughter Tracy (Riley) and Matthew Clemente, his sister Kathleen (Riley) and Kevin Coyne, his brother Lawrence Riley, his brother Francis and Marilyn Riley, his nieces Courteney and Kristen Coyne, his niece Andrea (Riley) and Nick Aleksiejczyk, and many beloved cousins, relatives and friends.
In addition to his parents, John was predeceased by his uncles and aunts Bishop Lawrence J. Riley, Ruth (Avery) and John O’Donnell, Catherine (Riley) and James Phelan, Walter and Alice Avery, Frank and Betty Avery, a dear friend Bea Hackett, and a wife of several years Cindy (Charron) Riley.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial on Tuesday morning at 10:00 am at Holy Name Parish, located at 1689 Centre St. in West Roxbury.
Family and friends may call on Monday from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Robert J. Lawler and Crosby Funeral Home, located at 1803 Centre St. in West Roxbury. Interment will be at the Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory to The Brain Aneurysm Foundation, 269 Hanover Street, Building 3, Hanover, MA 02339. John was the beneficiary of outstanding care rendered by several Boston doctors over the years, especially neurosurgeon and Foundation founder Dr. Christopher Ogilvy, MD, to whom John’s family extends its deepest gratitude.