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Obituary: Mary Sally Brennan, 94, Lowville
Published: February 11, 2026
By: Provided by
Sundquist Funeral Home
Mary Sally (Soults) Brennan
 On Saturday, February 7, 2026,
Mary Sally (Soults) Brennan, formerly of Carthage, New
York, passed away at her home in Lowville, New
York under the care of hospice at the age of 94.
Sally was born in Watertown,
New York, on August 4, 1931, to Dr.
E. Clifford Soults and Geraldine Brady Soults.
A 1948 graduate
of Carthage High School, she graduated from the College of New Rochelle with a BA degree in
Fine Arts in 1952.
Sally married
Harvey Farrington (Gary)
Young in 1952, settled in Lowville and together had six children. They
separated in 1969 and divorced in 1970. As the sole parent and support of
her family Sally then began a teaching career at Beaver River Central
School, teaching
English, and took on an additional part-time job working weekends in the
ticket office at Snow Ridge, allowing her children the opportunity to ski.
With the help of her next-door neighbors, Rick and Ellen Bush, who provided
childcare and other support, she was able to return to college to obtain
her Masters in Education from SUNY Potsdam in 1973. Her career at Beaver River spanned 21 years. She was always
known as a demanding, but fair, teacher and after she retired many of her
former students would comment on how they had come to appreciate her
lessons.
Her passion for
education was impressed on her children as she
ensured they all graduated from high school and went on to
college. The opportunities for, and success of, her children meant
everything to her.
Sally met the
love of her life, Stephen Brennan, whom she married on May 17, 1986. They enjoyed every
minute together, whether a quiet dinner after a long day of work or
traveling to distant places. Stephen passed away in July 2002.
She was a devout
Catholic, who deeply valued her faith and the teachings of Jesus
Christ. Sally was a communicant of St. Peter’s Church in Lowville and
St. Hedwig’s in Houseville.
Her life was also
filled with community service, including being a member of the St.
Theresa’s Guild and Loaves and Fishes, as well as an RCA teacher, and a
volunteer with Literacy of Northern New York, where she spent countless
hours teaching English as a second language to those new to this country.
Among her other
life passions were tending to her birds-humming birds, cardinals, and
yellow chickadees from her backyard feeders, her gardens, flowers, clipping
news articles to share, reading the Wall Street Journal daily, and annual
trips with her brother and sister-in-law, especially to Stratford.
Sally is
predeceased by her daughter, Karen Koster (Sheldon), brother and
sister-in-law, Dr. Frank Soults (Kathleen), and
grandson, Jesse Koster. She is survived by her five children and their
families, Michael F. Young (Kae), Amy E. Upham, Fredrick S.
Young (Petra), Clifford (Tony) A. Young (Juanita), and Timothy J. Young
(Teresa), three stepchildren, Stephan Brennan, Jim Brennan, and Maureen
Kelly, 12 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
A funeral Mass
will be said on Friday, February 13, 2026, at 11:00 am, at St. Peter's
Church, 5457 Shady Avenue, Lowville, New York, with Rev. John Ojuok,
officiating.
In lieu of
flowers, memorials in the name of Sally Brennan may be made
to Literacy of Northern New York, 200 Washington Street, Suite 303, Watertown,
New York 13601,
or Loaves and Fishes, c/o St. Peter's Church, 5457 Shady Avenue, Lowville,
NY 13367.
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