Brian Valerian D'Silva

Brian Valerian Joseph D’Silva was born weighing a healthy ten pounds to Wilfred and Gwendolyn D’Silva on June 18, 1949, at Military Hospital Colaba, Bombay, India. The youngest of ten children after Averil (Mark Gomes), Denzil (Dorothy), Agnes (Anil Rodrigues), Ann, Maureen (Anthony Carlier), Mary (Norman Perris), Maralene (Vincent Collaco), Kenneth (Barbara Just), and Carolyn (Derek Gonsalves), Brian spent his younger years in Bombay and Waltaire before starting high school at St. Joseph’s College, Darjeeling. He often spoke with pride of the school, his classmates, and the breathtaking beauty of mountain scenery of the Mahabharat Range.

After high school, Brian worked at a travel agency in Bombay where he developed an interest in the hospitality industry. This passion brought him to Toronto, Canada in 1969, where he studied Restaurant and Hotel Management at George Brown College while residing with Mary and Norman, to whom he remained ever grateful, and always spoke of affectionately. His charming personality, impeccable customer service skills, and sunny smile, provided him with opportunities to work in Toronto, Peterborough, and London, Ontario; as well as Edmonton, Alberta; and Atlanta, Georgia.

In April of 1978, Brian met Arlene Pires, and they wed in August 1979 at St. Bonaventure Church in Toronto. Brian was instantly and lovingly welcomed by his parents-in-law, Alaric and Rosalind Pires, whom Brian affectionately called Pop and Mom, and their children Austin (Angela), Gavin, Sarah (Joseph D’Souza), Jacqueline (Mo Gujarati), Jude (Pavlinka). He relished in his role as a big-brother-in-law from the very start, providing advice, guidance, and endless entertaining moments to Arlene’s siblings, and eventually his nieces and nephews on both sides of the family as well.

Brian first became a father in July of 1982 when he and Arlene welcomed their son Brendon. Soon after, in March of 1984, their daughter Rebecca was born. Brian delighted in being a father, and his creativity and sense of humour resulted in many bedtime stories and made-up games that ended in giddy, ecstatic laughter. This in combination with Brian’s firm but loving disciplinary style, which was inspired by his own father, and has left Brendon and Rebecca with countless fond memories, and true inspiration for what it means to be a parent. Brian made his pride in his children known in the way that he spoke about their respective accomplishments. He was most pleased to welcome Brendon’s wife Victoria to the family in 2011, along with her children, Joredan, and Sharon. He especially treasured spending time with Sharon’s daughters Ezara and Angela, who lovingly called him Papa Brian.

In 1983, Brian joined Canada Post as a driver, and over his almost thirty years with the company, climbed the ranks to his position as Superintendent at the Georgetown Post Office, from where he retired. Over his time with Canada Post, Brian was offered the opportunity to pursue a university degree, and he studied diligently part-time for nine years at York University, graduating in 2006 with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a focus on Crime, Law, and Social Policy. Brian later completed a Certificate in Mediation through York in 2010. Retirement proved boring for Brian when in 2012, he joined Brampton Transit as a city bus driver. He enjoyed the challenge of memorizing the route maps, and meeting colourful characters around the city. Throughout his life, Brian constantly demonstrated that with persistence, dedication, and what he referred to as, “an attitude of gratitude”, anything is possible. Brian always responded with humility to congratulations and compliments on his life’s accomplishments, insisting that he could never have done it without his family and friends.

Brian will be remembered as a loving, hard-working, reliable, humorous, and fun-loving man. He was a genuinely kind human being, who loved both people and pets. On November 3rd, 2013, after a short and courageous battle with Lymphoma, Brian passed away surrounded by his family and friends.