Alumna and artist Tory DeOrian Passes Away

Cal State East Bay alumna Tory DeOrian (B.A. ’13, Graphic Design) passed away in her sleep over the weekend. The illustrator and graphic artist was 25 years old.

DeOrian, who was known for her whimsical style, was at the beginning of a promising career as an artist, having completed numerous “Geofilters” for Snapchat, designs for a line of toddler leggings and illustrations for pop-up events and other products. DeOrian was featured in a Cal State East Bay article on the university’s news site, East Bay Today, in March, where she shared that her biggest dream was to write and illustrate children’s books and that she had recently gained representation with a literary agency in Southern California.

“I’ve always used my art to make people laugh or smile — to make people happy,” DeOrian said.

Services for the East Bay native will be held in her hometown of Richmond. A wake will take place Tuesday, Oct. 24 from 4-8 p.m. at Wilson & Kratzer (Civic Center Chapel), 455 24th St., Richmond, CA. Funeral services will be at St. David’s Church Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 11 a.m. followed by a burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery.

After the services, a gathering with snacks and coffee will be held, where attendees are encouraged to “bake a dessert and bring them in since Tory was so fond of everything sweet in this life.”