Gregorio “Gregory” Grande
elevated hIIFH January 16, 1934 ~ July 21, 2026
elevated hIIFH Visitation
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 from 3:00 – 8:00 p.m.
elevated hIIFH Holy Cross Catholic Funeral Home
211 Langstaff Road East, Thornhill, ON, L3T 3Z6
elevated hIIFH Funeral Mass – Chapel of St. Joseph (within the Funeral Home)
Thursday, July 30, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.
elevated hIIFH Inurnment
Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery
8361 Yonge Street, Thornhill, Ontario, L3T 2C7
elevated hIIFH Obituary
elevated hIIFH Gregorio Grande, affectionately known as Greg, Gregory, and “Ruzzo,” passed away on July 21, 2026, at the age of 92.
elevated hIIFH A proud immigrant from Calabria, Italy, Gregory came to Canada as a young man in 1955 with the hope of building a better future. With the devoted support of his family, he pursued his education, earning university degrees and later completing a Doctorate in Social Work. While he was proud of his academic achievements, his greatest passion was helping Italian immigrants make Canada their home.
elevated hIIFH Gregory began his career with the Children’s Aid Society, where his commitment to supporting children and families first took root. He later dedicated many years of service as a senior social worker with the Toronto Board of Education, where he was deeply committed to the well-being, development, and success of children.
elevated hIIFH As a co-founder of COSTI-IIAS Italian Immigrant Services (now known as COSTI Immigrant Services) and an executive of the Italian Canadian Congress, Gregory helped establish programs and services that continue to support newcomers from around the world as they build new lives in Canada. His life’s work reflected his belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to belong and to succeed.
elevated hIIFH Gregory shared 62 loving years of marriage with his beloved wife, Madeleine. He is survived by his cherished daughters, Maxine and Sarah-Anne (and her husband, Joe); his treasured grandchildren, Brandon, Andrew, Nathan, and Sophia; his dear siblings, Lina, Vince,Tony (survived by his loving wife Helen), and Joe; and his much loved extended family, each of whom held a special place in his heart.
elevated hIIFH His family, friends, and colleagues will remember him for his generosity, his warm hospitality, and his unwavering commitment to helping others. His legacy lives on in the many lives he touched and in the enduring organizations he helped build.
elevated hIIFH Our heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses, personal support workers, and support staff in the Cardiac Care Unit, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), and on 9E at Scarborough Centenary Hospital for their exceptional care and compassion throughout Gregory’s six-month stay. We will always be deeply grateful.
elevated hIIFH In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Gregory’s memory may be made to:
elevated hIIFH Scarborough Health Network Foundation – Centenary Hospital
elevated hIIFH COSTI Immigrant Services
elevated hIIFH
To the Grande family, our deepest and most heartfelt condolences.
To my dear friend Maxine and the Grande family,
What a beautiful tribute to a great human being. Your father was an exceptional, kind and generous person who inspired me to always value family, education and living a life of integrity to the fullest. I will forever be grateful for being “adopted” into your family at a young age and having the opportunity to be touched by your loving and steadfast parents who always created a sense of wonder, peace and joy in their home and cottage and during our cross-country road trips. May you rest in peace, Gregory. Thank you for your unwavering kindness and acceptance into your family life.
Madeleine, Maxine and Sarah-Anne
May the cherished memories of Gregory bring you comfort in this time of sorrow. My deepest sympathies
Good by, old warrior. We fought many battles on behalf of italian Canadians and others in need of support and help. from the days with the Toronto Board of Education, to the Italian Immigrant Aid Society and the merger with COSTI to become Canada”s leading organization assisting immigrants and refugies, to the Presidency of the Toronto and Ontario chapters of the National Congress of Italian Canadians. deep condolences to your dear ones.
Dear Maxine, we are all deeply saddended by your dad’s death. He was a wonderful person and we won’t forget him. I will send your message to all cousins and to Erminia. A hug to your mom and to all of you.
Dear Madeleine, Maxime and Sara-Anne,
we are most Sorry for immensirable loss your da and out deatest and very affectionate cousin Gregorio.
Have you out deepest and MOST heartfelt condolences.
Our thoughts are with you. A big hug.
Dear cousins Madeleine, Maxine, Sarah-Anne & family.
You have our heart felt sympathy upon the death of Greg. He was a fine man who dedicated his life to the less fortunate.
Cherish the memories.
Deepest sympathy.
Bart & Linda
Gregorio (Gregory) Grande was a caring and loving husband, father, and grandfather who gave of himself to his family, relatives, friends and the community.
Gregory was a pillar of our community and a devoted supporter of the National Congress of Italian Canadians (NCIC) on the District, Regional and National levels who fervently believed in the NCIC and its role and purpose in the betterment of the Italian Canadian Community and concomitantly Canada and Italy. He cherished his roots, Italian heritage and traditions and was a proud Canadian.
Although Gregory will be missed by all, he will be forever in our hearts.
Our sincere condolences, prayers and thoughts go out to the Grande Family.
God Bless All,
Dominic and Donna Campione & Family
I will always remember how much fun it was working with Gregorio during the early years of the Pirandello Theatre Society. God bless him. My deepest condolences go to his family.
Deeply in my heart, I felt that you, Greg Grande, fulfilled a void in the Italian community in 1992 by becoming The First President of THE PIRANDELLO THEATRE SOCIETY. Your strategy and creativity endured for many years in the community and fostered intense cooperation between the executive and the Board of Directors, including professional and amateur actors, that lasted for a quarter century. Your artistic intelligence and perseverance made that company a vibrant organization which I hope will carry on for many years to come. As the retired Artistic Director of many Pirandello plays and musicals, I honour you by holding you in high esteem for your professional practice.
You will live in my memory forever, Gregory Grande, because you are Grandissimo to me.
Goodbye greg… blessings to you.
You’ll remain forever in my memory in this distracted world.
To my dear cousins Madeleine Maxine and Sarah-Anne
Sorry for the loss of your husband and father .
I truly appreciated your dad on our trips to Florida .
I thank your parents for their great generosity’s.
We had many great conversations sitting in front of the gulf .Gregory would always say can you imagine we are so lucky to be here and always said La Bella vita .i will cherish these memories.