New Haven Teacher Leaves a Legacy of Giving Back

Mary Lowery as a young teacher in New Haven

From the time she was a young girl, Mary Lowery learned about the importance of education from her parents. She had a gift for language, studying Spanish at Mount St. Joseph Academy and St. Joseph College. Upon graduating college in 1957, she took her talents to Hillhouse High School in New Haven—where she began a 35-year education career. Lowery eventually became the chair of the foreign language department at Lee High School. She retired from Lee in 1992, leaving only for a brief time in between to be an assistant principal at Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School.

As a second act, Lowery put her energy and language expertise to use by becoming the volunteer language commissioner for the Ninth Special Olympics World Summer Games in New Haven. She organized the training for volunteer interpreters for the Games’ 7,000 athletes from 143 countries. She later devoted her time to the SARAH Foundation, which helps children and adults with intellectual and other disabilities.

In 2016 Lowery honored her parents and the values they instilled in her by establishing the Lowery Family Scholarship Fund at The Community Foundation designated to support the New Haven Scholarship Fund, which provides college scholarships for New Haven students.

“I was lucky to be born, and I’ve been lucky with my career and a family inheritance. I feel my fortune requires I give back,” she said at the time.

When Mary Lowery died in June, she bequeathed shares of stock to the Lowery Family Scholarship Fund. In addition, Mary included the Community Fund for Women & Girls, to which she was a lifetime donor, as a beneficiary of her estate.