Salvador Castro Uy passed away on March 16, 2020, at his home in New
York City, surrounded by his family. He was the beloved husband of
Christine Brennan and the proud father of his sons, Theodore and Oliver.
Sal was born in Manhattan on March 5, 1965, to Bernardina (Castro) Uy
and Antonio J. Uy, both of whom emigrated from the Philippines. Always
proud of his Filipino heritage, Sal was admired for his intellect, grace and
humor by his large and loving family and his wide circle of friends.
Sal graduated high school in 1983 from the United Nations International
School (UNIS), received his bachelor’s degree in Politics, magna cum
laude, from Princeton University in 1987, and went on to earn his Juris
Doctor from Columbia University School of Law. He was the recipient of the
prestigious U Thant award at UNIS, and the institution remained a vital part
of his life. Sal ultimately served as the school’s Assistant Executive Director
from 2012 until his passing.
Sal’s life and work embodied his strong belief in and dedication to public
service. In addition to his role at UNIS, other notable leadership positions
included serving as Deputy Director of the New York City Office of People
with Disabilities; Assistant Commissioner for Single Adults — New York
City Dept. of Homeless Services; Senior Vice President for Emergency
Shelter and Hotline at Safe Horizon; and Associate Director and Chief
Operating Officer of the Goddard Riverside Community Center.
Sal was passionate about human rights, justice and equality at all levels of
society. He was devoted to his sons and wife, and loved nothing more than
to spend time with them. In his spare time, Sal took great pleasure in
preparing amazing gourmet meals for his family and friends. He was also a
voracious reader and enjoyed biking.
In addition to his wife and sons, Sal is survived by his father, Antonio J. Uy
(Leonila), his four siblings — to whom he was affectionately known as
“Kuya” — Bernadette Uy Santangelo (Matt), Marc Uy (Susan), Antony Uy
(Megan) and Kurt Eric Uy (Sarah), as well as eight nephews and nieces,
and many aunts, uncles and cousins. Sal was the proud godfather, or
“Ninong,” to his brother Kurt Eric Uy, nephews Nicholas Santangelo and
Alexander Santangelo, and niece Annabel Uy. He is also survived by his
first wife, Lauren Rosenthal, who is the mother of his sons, Theodore and
Oliver.
NTAC:4UC-11
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, a funeral Mass and celebration of Sal’s
life will be held at a later date. Details will be forthcoming on this website.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Salvador Uy
Memorial Scholarship Fund at UNIS, via the following link:
unis.org/salvador-uy-scholarship.