James Rielly

We are devastated at the sudden passing of Jim at his home in Pefferlaw on Tuesday November 19th, 2024 in his 67th year. A light has forever gone out of our family circle and will be dearly missed. Beloved husband of Mary Ann Rielly. Proud father of Annalisa Cannons (Matthew). Loving brother of Keith Rielly (Bonnie). Adoring grandfather of Charlotte Cannons. Remembered by his nieces and nephews as well as the rest of his family and friends. Jim is predeceased by his loving parents Olis and Keith Rielly. 

Jim was born at Wellesley Hospital in Toronto, and at the age of three moved to his childhood home in Pickering a short distance from Lake Ontario. He attended Fairport Beach Public School and Dunbarton High School graduating with Honours. Jim worked at Red Path Sugar for one year. He then attended George Brown for a Child & Youth Worker diploma graduating with honours. He then worked for 20 years at Fernie House a group home in Pickering and the remainder of his career at Sutton Public School and York Region CAS. He always brought his humour, sarcasm and dedication to his work.

Jim was a wonderful husband, who always made his wife feel special, loved and protected. They spent 40 years together building their life and family. Family meant everything to him and he was always there for everyone, the definition of a family man. Jim could always be found working on projects around the house and backyard and once Annalisa could join him, she was his shadow following him around. Jim adored his daughter Annalisa and they shared the same humour and sarcasm. They enjoyed exploring new places, playing Sequence, listening to music and going for drives. 

Jim enjoyed family trips to cottages, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Calgary and Las Vegas. Jim and Mary Ann were able to buy their own cottage in 2018 and Jim spent as much time as possible there puttering around and fishing. Jim was an avid fisher and taught all of his nieces, nephews and daughter how to fish in Lake of Bays where the family used to spend summers.

Our family will forever have a missing piece with the loss of Jim. He is gone but will never be forgotten by anyone that knew the caring, loving, devoted man that Jim was. We will spend the rest of our lives remembering his humour, laugh and mischievous grin. It is an honour to love Jim and an even bigger honour being loved by him.

Visitation will be held at Forrest & Taylor Funeral Home (20846 Dalton Rd, Sutton West, ON) on Friday November 29th 2-4pm and 7-9pm. A funeral service will be held at Cedardale Church of the Nazarene (471 Pefferlaw Rd, Pefferlaw, ON) at 2pm with visitation an hour before starting at 1pm. If desired, memorial donations may be made to Sunnybrook Foundation to Support Kidney Cancer Research by Dr. G Bjarnason, Udora United Church and Cedardale Church of the Nazarene would be greatly appreciated by the family.