The NSCAD community mourns the loss of Victoria (Tori) Jane Brine, NSCAD’s Website/Desktop Support Specialist, who passed away on June 6, 2024.
Before joining NSCAD University as a staff member, Tori was a student at NSCAD, graduating with a BFA in Interdisciplinary Art in 1999. In May 2003, she became an Administrative Assistant in the Office of Advancement, and soon transitioned to the Computer Services team in 2007, where she made invaluable contributions to the department and NSCAD as a whole.
Owen Gottschalk, NSCAD’s Director of Computer Services says they became fast friends when he first met Tori.
“Tori was such an integral part of the Computer Services team; patient, organized, thorough, and always ready to pitch in to solve a problem or accomplish whatever task needed to be done. Though she was not trained in IT, she had the aptitude and instinct needed to excel at her job,” he writes. “She loved animals and nature. She had pets through the years (cats, a bunny, fish) and kept lots of plants in her apartment — all pet friendly, of course! She was my go-to amateur meteorologist whenever there was a storm approaching.
“Tori had a creative side, writing novels in her spare time. She would create little comics, usually featuring her and her pets, leading up to most holidays. Halloween was one of her favourites and we had a tradition of exchanging pictures of the pumpkins we’d carved. Hers were always way more creative and more artistically done than mine,” Owen continues.
Tori’s sister, Esther Marson, says she and Tori were inseparable as children and cannot fathom life without her.
“In high school, we were known as “The Dynamic Duo” by our teachers. She was my best friend, my confidant, artistic bouncing board, fellow explorer of nature, and biggest supporter during my times of need. I really don’t know how I’ll manage without her in my life,” she says.
Crystal Bona, Manager of Registrar Services, says she’s honoured to have met Tori and call her a friend.
“I was lucky enough to count Tori as both a colleague and a friend,” she writes. “She was truly a world builder in every facet of her life; whether professionally, through her work to set up and administer the computer systems we all use, or personally, in the plants, aquariums, and terrariums she tended to so meticulously; the animals she cared so deeply for; and all the writings and illustrations she created from her imagination — which was overflowing with ideas and projects.
“She may have moved quietly and privately through our lives, but she carried an unbridled optimism and joy, even in the most difficult circumstances. If you knew her, you couldn’t help but be affected by that kind of light. Being considered her friend was truly an honour for me, I just wish we had more time to see where her imagination would take us next,” Crystal continues.
Tori’s teammate from Computer Services, Jonas Ye, remembers her kindness and unquenching dedication to her team.
“Tori was the most optimistic person I’ve ever met. No matter what she was suffering, she always remained positive. Her spirit and dedication left a lasting impact on all of us. She was kind to everyone, always smiling and offering a helping hand to those who needed it. Tori’s kindness and generosity will be deeply missed,” he writes.
Another colleague, Amin Meshkat says he will miss Tori’s patience and ability to bring life to every space she’s in.
“Tori was an extraordinary person who made a significant impact on all of us. She was an expert in gardening; I asked her all my gardening questions and she patiently answered every one of them. I remember promising to bring her a plant I liked, so she could have it, but I ended up giving it to her after a couple of weeks when it was almost dead. I apologized, and she noticed I was unhappy because the plant was in poor shape. A week later, Tori asked me to come to her office, and to my surprise, she had revived the plant completely. She made me so happy by bringing that plant back to life. I will never forget this memory of her.”
Tori’s brother, James, shared a eulogy in honor of Tori’s memory. The excerpt reads:
“Tori’s passing will be felt for many years to come. Knowing we can’t pick up the phone to call and ask how she and her furry companions are doing or what the weather is looking like over the harbor, or seeing a new cheerful illustration from her in our email is impossible to comprehend. Hopefully she knew, or at least, knows now just how much impact she had on our lives and how much we thought about her from day to day.
“In her absence, let’s remember to keep the creative process alive and the appreciation for the wonders of the natural world in our hearts and minds. Her presence will be felt through the art she leaves behind, and even in future holidays, storm systems, creative projects and any time life presents a memorable moment that we would have wanted to share with her.”
A private memorial service will be held in Ontario with Tori’s family in the coming weeks.
