John Howard Grenawalt, 66, passed away peacefully on August 5, 2026, after a brief illness.
John was born August 9, 1959, the third child of Edward and Nora Grenawalt. He was a lifelong Yonkers resident, attending St. Peter Elementary School and Sacred Heart High School.
Upon graduation, John followed his older brother Eddie and joined the United States Navy in 1977. John attended boot camp at Naval Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois, where he developed a lifelong hatred for the cold, before attending “A School” in San Diego and finally being stationed in Virginia Beach, near his brother Eddie. John loved to reminisce about his “wild days” in the Navy, whether it was unauthorized trips to Tijuana or getting into “trouble,” usually with Eddie and sometimes involving a motorcycle. He was deeply proud of his military service and ensured that patriotism was passed on to his sons.
After his discharge from the Navy, John joined the New York City Police Department in 1981. He spent his early career in the 47th Precinct before joining Bronx Narcotics and being promoted to the rank of Detective in 1988. After leaving Narcotics, John joined the 32nd Precinct Detective Squad, where he spent several years in the early 1990s. John finished his career with the Bronx DA’s Squad before retiring in 2001 after 20 years of service. Being an NYPD Detective was a defining part of John’s life. He never forgot the great friends he made, the colleagues who were killed or injured in the line of duty, or the difficult work that frequently took him away from his loved ones. John was extremely proud that his son, Kevin, chose to follow in his footsteps in the NYPD.
While in the NYPD, John developed a lifelong love of running. He could frequently be found logging miles on the streets of the Bronx or in Central Park with his Walkman in hand, proudly wearing his blue and gold NYPD Running Club singlet. John was always training for the New York City Marathon, which he completed nine years in a row, whether rain or shine. John also had a deep interest in military aviation, always saying that if he did not become a police officer, he would have loved to fly jets in the Navy.
Around the family, John was best known for his cooking. Cooking a meal for his loved ones was one of his greatest joys. John honed his skills in the kitchen over many decades cooking elaborate meals for his family and friends - most notably his meat sauce, a family favorite, which he insisted was not acceptable without a high quality bottle of Chianti.
Some of John’s other greatest joys in life were the yearly family trips to Cape Cod and the Jersey Shore, fishing on Daytona Beach, and going on cruises to the Caribbean, which he would discuss months (and sometimes years) in advance!
John was a devoted and loving father, partner, son, brother, uncle, and public servant. He had a warm, gentle smile and was never shy to tell you that he loved you. In his later years, he missed his brothers deeply, and we take comfort in the fact that he is reunited with them. He will be missed by all those that knew him.
John is survived by his sons, John (Tory) and Kevin Grenawalt, his partner, Stacey O’Connor, his sister, Karen Grenawalt, and his niece, Mary Kate (Kyle) Wilde and their children Luke and Mackenzie. John is predeceased by his parents, Ed and Nora, his brothers, Eddie and Richie, and his beloved English bulldog, Otis.
Reposing Tuesday, August 11, from 4-7 p.m. at Riverdale-on-Hudson Funeral Home, 6110 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, New York. Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, 9:45am at St. Margaret of Cortona Church, 6000 Riverdale Ave, Bronx, New York. Interment to follow at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne NY.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John’s name to the National Marrow Donor Program or Tunnel to Towers Foundation, in recognition of his gift of bone marrow to his brother, Richie, and his many years of service with the NYPD and United States Navy.