William Charles Covert

William Charles “Bill” Covert died peacefully in Largo, Florida, January 19, 2026. Born in Chicago on April 13, 1947 to Margaret and Francis Covert, Bill grew up surrounded by a large Scottish-American Family. After many Florida vacations his family moved to St Petersburg Beach in 1961 and Bill’s love affair with the water began. Bill was always a sailor at heart. He found and restored his first sailboat at fourteen and spent many hours sailing Boca Ciega Bay from the dock behind his parents’ home.

As a young man, he initially followed his second love—music, when he organized and played lead guitar and vocals for The Wayfarers, a folk-rock group that toured the southeast, played weekends to spontaneous crowds at the Gulfport Casino and was the official band of St Pete’s Committee of 100. After a few years he determined that performing was not the lifestyle for him. He took a brief detour to manage operations in Bache and Company’s Atlanta office before returning home to answer an ad for a part-time Sail Master position at Florida Presbyterian College (Eckerd College). Here he found a few old boats, an unused archery shed and a host of excited students eager to take advantage of the college’s waterfront location.

He soon formed a vision for a Waterfront Program that would provide students the opportunity to learn lifetime sports, expand their education beyond the classroom and volunteer their time to provide a unique community service. Through his leadership, persistent and creative fundraising, and hard-working, engaged students this humble beginning grew into one of the largest collegiate watersports programs in the country. As Director of Waterfront Activities, and eventually, Associate Dean of Student Affairs, Bill developed and oversaw recreational and intercollegiate programs including sailing, waterskiing, sail boarding. But, by far, his baby was EC-SAR.

Eckerd College Search and Rescue began in 1971 when Bill brought together a group of advanced student sailors to go out after college boats in distress. It evolved until in 1977 it began serving the general public through off campus rescues. Now in its 55th year of service, EC-SAR has rescued thousands of boaters, saving many lives and millions of dollars of property. As the only student-staffed maritime search and rescue team at an undergraduate college in the US, it responds to more than 400 maritime distress calls per year. This highly trained group of student volunteers works closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, 911 and other agencies, providing free 24-hour maritime assistance to the boaters of Tampa Bay and adjacent waterways. Bill led notable responses such as the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse and the collision of the Coast Guard cutter Blackthorn in 1980.

EC-SAR has become one of the most respected search and rescue organizations on the west coast of Florida. In 2012, EC-SAR developed a search pattern for locating people in the waters surrounding the Skyway Bridge, recognized by the Tampa Bay Search and Rescue Council, Pinellas County Emergency Response Services and the U.S. Coast Guard. In 2019, EC-SAR received the Meritorious Public Service award from the Coast Guard. Bill retired after 42 years of service, but under the leadership of a much-loved former student, the Waterfront has continued to grow and positively impact students and the community.

However, Bill’s legacy is not a set of buildings, organizations, or activities. His focus was always his students. He saw everything at the Waterfront, especially EC-SAR, as a tool to help students become their best selves; developing both skills and character outside of the classroom. Many former students will tell you that he changed the course of their lives for the better. Whatever those he worked with have taken from their time with him to use in their lives and pass on to others will always be the best of what we will remember about Bill.

His influence on boating safety didn’t stop with the college. He was a marine consultant for Consumers Union/Consumer Reports, a Board Member and Vice-Chairman of the Marine Industries Association, and founder of the Safe Boating Council of Greater Tampa Bay. He was also the first civilian admitted to the Coast Guard/Airforce National Search and Rescue School. When he retired he was named a Sunshine Ambassador for his contribution to the St. Petersburg community in a ceremony attended by the Mayor and City Council. He was also presented with the United States Coast Guard Distinguished Service Award “in recognition of notable service that greatly contributed to the advancement of the missions and goals of the Coast Guard.” The award states that Bill’s “dedication, judgment, and devotion to duty are heartily commended and in keeping with the highest traditions of public service.”

Bill’s love of life and unique way of living it carried over to his personal life. Much to his wife’s annoyance Bill never squashed a spider, but carefully carried them outside and set them free. He instilled his love of nature and animals in his daughter and they spent many happy days kayaking in Phillipe Park or wandering botanical gardens and old cemeteries with their cameras. He enjoyed fishing, playing the guitar, building ship models, using his prized telescope to take pictures of the stars, and reading about British naval history, Sherlock Holmes and his idol Winston Churchill. He was especially proud of his extensive collection of British military miniatures. He was a master of practical jokes. Most of all he loved spending time with his family.

He will be greatly missed every day by Lynn, his adoring wife of 38 years and his daughter Angela Covert, who was the pride of his life. They will try to live up to his example of open-mindedness, integrity, kindness and love. He also leaves behind TJ Schmitt, a son-in-law he loved like a son and John Klose a brother-in-law he loved like a brother along with many friends who enriched his life in countless ways. He considered two people in particular, Renee Register and Kevin Sherburne, to be more family than friend because of their constant support and friendship throughout his life. And we can’t forget Stanley the cockatoo, gifted to him 38 years ago by alumni, who will remind Lynn of Bill with ear-splitting squawks several times a day and Oliver the husky who will continue to torment Stanley.

Bill lived a life of purpose. It sounds trite, but there wasn’t a selfish bone in his body. He brought wit, intelligence and generosity to everything he did. Bill was famous for telling those who complained that suffering builds character. Those of us who loved him will be building a little extra character without him in our lives.

We will be holding a Celebration of Life for Bill on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at Serenity Funeral Home, 13401 Indian Rocks Road, Largo, FL 33774, where we hope those who loved him will gather and remember how he touched our lives. In lieu of flowers, the family recommends contributions to the William "Bill"Covert Endowment for the Waterfront to help continue the work he started, https://www.eckerd.edu/waterfront/support/.

We will always love you, Bill. We wish you fair winds and following seas.