Anthony (Tony) "Tony" Brusate

Anthony (Tony) Brusate of Lexington passed peacefully the morning of August 10. He was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1968, and was the eldest son of Kenneth and Judith Brusate.

He met Jessica Hollis, the love of his life, while in graduate school at the University of Alabama, and they were married in 1997, spending over 30 years together. In addition to Jessica, Tony is survived by his father, Kenneth Brusate; siblings, Michael Brusate, Annette (Brian) Malinowski, Peter (Karyn) Brusate; and sisters-in-law, Linda Hollis (Brandy Hyche) and Kathy Hollis; many uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces; and the beloved birds, both chicken and parakeets; with whom Tony and Jessica shared their home (chickens Monroe, Jade, Harriet, Houdini, and Buffy, and parakeets Sunny and Cloud).

Tony earned his BS in Secondary Education at Central Michigan University and his Master of Fine Arts in Poetry from the University of Alabama, receiving several awards and fellowships for his writing. After graduate school Tony published widely and was even recognized as a statewide selection representing Kentucky with a trip to New York City. His creativity later spread into painting, photography, and sculpture, and if listening to music can be considered a creative pursuit (and we think it can), then Tony was a consummate connoisseur, serving as a DJ at this college radio station and attending concerts with Jessica not only across the country but throughout the world. Tony was a true polymath, a modern-day Renaissance man, accomplished at everything he tried, except perhaps finishing home improvement projects (Tony was exceptional at starting home improvement projects, but met his match in this area), and this variety of proficiencies, including the challenges he met at home improvement, made him invaluable as a teacher. If you wanted to learn about mathematics, personal finance, gardening and canning, or groundhogs (yes, even groundhogs), then Tony Brusate was the teacher you wanted.

After beginning his teaching career in the 1990s as an Instructor at the University of Alabama, Tony worked as a substitute teacher for Fayette County Public Schools in Lexington before returning full-time at The Learning Center where he established, managed, and championed a robotics program. Throughout the years Tony worked tirelessly to inspire the minds and expand the knowledge of all he met, both in the classroom and out. He believed in his students, and they believed in him, creating a mutual support system to work together in approaching new opportunities to learn (see groundhogs, above).

Tony also spent years in automobile sales, but he brought the care he took with all things to that. As one of his artist friends put it so eloquently, Tony knew "when you sell a car to a person, you are not selling a machine, but a space, a private place where they will spend part of their life."

Tony was also a lover of nature, with a deep respect and particular passion for all things ornithological. To suggest that Tony was an avid birder would be a great understatement (as the chickens and parakeets can both attest). To that end, Tony was active in many wildlife organizations and served as President of the Central Kentucky Audubon Society for over 16 years, leading efforts to deploy Prothonotary Warbler and Barn Owl boxes and re-establishing five grass and wetlands acres for Henslow's sparrows nesting. Tony was also instrumental in facilitating a master mural class with international artist Hitnes, reminding students, faculty, and staff that art and science often cross paths, often with exquisite results.

Tony consistently fought for human rights and equality, and against injustice for all living things. Given his many endeavors, it should come as no surprise that he possessed an adventurous and competitive spirit, constantly pushing himself towards new and greater challenges. This unique drive led Tony to hike hundreds of miles on the Appalachian Trail, as well as bicycle extensively through his adopted hometown of Lexington to visit each and every Horse Mania sculpture installation, and in numerical (not geographical) order.

Those who knew Tony Brusate can attest to his abundant and infectious love of life, and he will be greatly missed by all who were fortunate enough to have known him.

A Gathering to Celebrate the Life of Tony Brusate will be held on Friday, August 15 at Copper Roux, 861 S. Broadway, Lexington, KY from 5:00 to 8:00 PM. An additional memorial will take place in Michigan at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Bird Conservancy American the Bird Conservancy: Bird Conservation Results Across Americas, the Central Kentucky Audubon Society (chapter J51) through the National Audubon Society National Audubon Society, or Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky (RROKI).

Care Cremation and Funeral Service is honored to be entrusted with final care.