Jerry Wayne “Coach” Covington
Jerry Wayne “Coach” Covington, 80, of Sour Lake, Texas, died Saturday, April 27, 2024, at Houston Methodist Hospital. He was born on January 14, 1944, to Effie Lee Jones Covington and Francis Covington in Meridian, Mississippi, and was a United States Marine Corps veteran.
While dad was growing up in Meridian, where he was active in sports, he developed lasting and loving friendships that he carried throughout his life. After his military service he located to Beaumont, Texas and became a Beaumont City Firefighter while attaining his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from Lamar University. He then began a 40+ year career in private and public education while coaching football, basketball, and track at Kelly High School, South Park High School and West Brook High School. Dad was passionate about being a coach so that he could help kids in the same way that his coaches growing up had helped him. His students and players were a part of some of his proudest memories. Many of his students continued to maintain a relationship with “Coach” long after he retired.
Throughout his adult life, there wasn’t a person he met that didn’t earn a nickname from him. He had friends scattered throughout the area that knew “Coach” and had wonderful crazy stories about their version of his relationship with them. Dad loved to send cards to everyone he knew, with little poems written in them or maybe a note or a set of stickers he thought they or their kids might like. He loved to work in his yard and took such pride in the trees and plants he put in the ground and nursed them with love to watch them grow.
His survivors include his children, Kelly Covington and wife, Paola, of Bossier City, Louisiana; Jesse Covington and wife, Samantha, of Austin; Kathryn Covington Cole and husband, Monte, of Canyon Lake; grandchildren, Elijah Cole, Kennedy Covington, Hudson Covington, and Theresa Covington; siblings, Michael Covington and wife, Renee, Barbara Pope, and Suzzon Covington; niece, Lauren Figard and husband, Daniel; nephew, Johnny Pope and wife, KaAnne; niece, Tiffany Pope; niece, Brookly Rosen and husband, John; nephew, Kevin Rhodes, and numerous great-nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Joseph Covington; sister, Patricia McLelland; and his beloved, Grandma Hannah.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Humane Society of Southeast Texas, 2050 Spindletop Avenue, Beaumont, Texas 77705 donate online; the ASPCA Gift Processing Center, P.O. Box 96929, Washington, DC 20090-6929 donate online; or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38105 donate online.
A gathering of Coach Covington’s family and friends will begin at 5:00 p.m., with a Rosary recited at 7:00 p.m., Thursday, May 2, 2024, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 3, 2024, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 225 West Barkley, Sour Lake. His cremation arrangements will be handled through Broussard’s Crematorium, under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.
Semper Fi
Video
Gathering of Family and Friends
Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
- 210, West Barkley Street, Sour Lake, Texas, 77659,
- May 2, 2024
- 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Rosary
Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
- 210, West Barkley Street, Sour Lake, Texas, 77659,
- May 2, 2024
- 7:00 pm
Funeral Mass
Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church
- 210, West Barkley Street, Sour Lake, Texas, 77659,
- May 3, 2024
- 10:00 am
My deepest condolences, coach made me achieve more than I thought I could. He taught me to keep fighting. I also loved his since of hummer. Rest in peace.
I lived across the street from Coach for many years in Pinewood. He loved on my kids, gossiped about the neighbors, fretted over the dogs and entertained me with funny stories from the past for hours on end. He was a great man with a huge heart and a stubborn soul who loved his family more than life itself. Fly high my precious friend 🧡
I was a student of his in 84. He gave me the name Sister Fay. I use to correct home during his history lessons that had religious aspects. He also lived next door to my first husband David Yarbrough harassing me about how my husband flipped his VW in his yard missing his own driveway on Hartel Street. Even though he moved away my mother in law Jean Lindsey lived there till the house burnt last year. Years later my boys mentioned how the coach still was teaching at Westbrook. The stories of his unique way of getting students attention during changes of class in the hallways. It was a pleasure having my children along with myself being taught by such a unique individual and he will always have a fine memory in my heart rest in peace coach well-deserved. Prayers for the family and their loss
Rest High Coach Covington 🙏!!!! Semper Fi South Park High School Class of 83.
Coach Covington was my bookkeeping teacher my senior year at Kelly High School and one of my favorite teachers. I had the good fortune of meeting him again some 40+ years later when he became a substitute teacher at Sour Lake Elementary, where I taught. We both enjoyed reminiscing with me about our KHS days! He was still the same funny, kind, generous man that I remembered. RIP Coach Covington. I’m blessed to have known you.
Celeste Salhab, MKHS Class of 1974
Rest in peace coach. You were a true inspiration to so many and brought joy to all who knew you. You will be missed. Praying for his family.
So sad to hear this. Coach Covington was one of a kind. Met him in 7th grade when a few St. Anthony boys went to play football for St. Annes. He instilled determination, grit and toughness in us all. He made me feel that no matter the size, I could play with anyone. Then had him as a coach at Kelly. I still recall some of his “after game” workouts we went through when we didn’t exactly give it our all. He made me realize no matter who we played against, no matter how much bigger they were, we go stand toe to toe with them and come out on top. Rest in Peace Coach. I will always think of you with fond memories,
I agree, he coached me my last two years of high school. He was always up front and just wanted the best effort you could give.
RIP Coach Cov.
Met him as my daughter’s powerlifting coach. He tolerated so much from those girls.
I also loved subbing in his class. Those kids knew they’d better behave.
Rest in Peace Coach.
You’re one of the reason I enlisted and retired ifrom the Marine Corps.
South Park days
First met Coach in 1972 when I was in 7th grade at St Annes. We had a tough but rewarding football season, where every day at practice was an holiday, so he and his assistant used to say! We practiced on an old parking lot and you were given a shovel to remove old asphalt pieces if you didn’t feel up to practice lol.
And of course had him through Kelly High ‘73 -‘78. So many memories through sports, he was very dedicated coach and instilled toughness and tenacity, great life skills.
Rest in peace Coach Covington.
John Jerry
I am so sorry for your loss! Coach Cov was my powerlifting coach at West Brook many moons ago! Bless his soul for tolerating us those years. Prayers for peace for the family during these difficult times.
Coach Cov taught me to drive. He was no-nonsense and tough but funny. I remember when he made me drive backwards in a parking lot for an hour so I’d learn to go in reverse. He also yelled at me for braking for an animal on a back road. He said it was better to hit the animal than to get in a wreck and harm a person. I never forgot that but I still brake for animals. He was a great teacher and will be missed by so many people. He left an amazing legacy.
Coach was my driver’s ed and history teacher at Westbrook Senior High School in 1987. I was given the nickname Puddin because he taught my Uncle Paul. He was my favorite teacher by far. He was also smiling and laughing. He will be missed!
Rest easy Coach, you will be missed!
Coach was such a wonderful man. I enjoyed getting to know him at South Park.
Coach Cov was an amazing man. A great teachers to all who knew him even if we didn’t have his class. The laugher in the halls as he stood at his door will forever be a memory missed
.
He was a great man. Loved having him as a teacher back in the early 80s at South Park. So sorry I can not attend his service. The next dog I rescue I will name him Coach . Prayers to the family
Very fond memories of Coach Covington, our ex-marine freshman P.E coach. If you could “bottle” the charisma, charm and discipline of the Jerry Covington experience – feed it to every incoming high school freshman – this world would be a better place indeed.
Thanks Coach for the lessons you taught us on and off the field and in the classroom. You were as tough as nails when it came to the development and discipline of young impressionable kids…. and thats what memories are made of.
Love ya COACH
Loved Coach Cove. I had him for history at Westbrook and he taught me how to drive.
Oh sweet Coach, how can I put into words just how special you were to so many of us?! From your stories, to your sweet gifts for “your girls”, to our very well thought out nicknames, you truly were like another grandpa to us BWAC girls!! I can only imagine how happy Kirby and your other pups were to see you!! Fly high Coach, Heaven sure gained a good one!
~Annie Oakley
Coach was a great guy. He always had a story and a smile. You could never have a bad day if he was around. The world is dimmer because his light is no longer shining here on earth.
Coach Cov was a great man! He taught my kids at West Brook and made a huge impact on them. He taught my daughter a great love for History and she still has that interest 25 years later. Every time our paths crossed, we picked up where we left off , whether it had been a week or ten years since we last saw each other. To his family, know that he was loved and respected by everyone he met. He will be greatly missed!
Rest in peace, Coach! See you in Heaven one day! I’m sure you and Jim have already met up and are discussing South Park! 💟✝️
My first memory of Coach Cov was in 1994. I was on the JV team at Deer Park and we were playing the JV from The Brook. I had made my 6th 3 in the first half, and head him tell his guys… don’t let that skinny kid shoot again! (I wasn’t able to touch the ball the rest of the game!)
Fast forward 20+ years and who is sitting behind me in mass… Coach Cov! I loved his passion for everything! Will miss eating with him after mass! And I know my two boys will think of him if they ever put on a Nike Swoosh for the rest of their lives!
Rest in peace Coach Cov! You made the world a better place!
Katie, I loved hearing your stories about your Dad ❤️ praying for strength and peace for you and your family.
My condolences to Jerry’s family and friends. We have lost a kind hearted & courageous man that fought a good battle here on Earth and Heaven has gained another faithful soul. Jerry was my neighbor growing up and also a classmate. He had many, many friends, loved football (and he was a great player himself) voted most handsome in high school but never let any of his accomplishments go to his head. He never missed a class reunion that I know of and really enjoyed attending. He will definitely be missed by all who knew him and loved him. Rest in peace dear friend, we will meet again in our Forever Home.
I remember Coach from Kelly High School. He was a formidable presence. We had some good times together after that in the 2000’s when we saw each other at church and reconnected. I remember that you were always smiling too unless you were upset with a player lol
Condolences to your family and friends. It’s a comfort knowing that Heaven has gained another Angel 😇. RIP Jerry
Gwendolyn Koch Kinne
MKHS Class of 80.
Cov is proof that God has a great sense of humor. I hope heaven is prepared because a real character is on his way. Many great times together. I was always wishing for one more venture.
Well Semper Fi to you my departed friend and Jarhead…
Jerry and I got to go on our Senior Year of High School field trip together to Parris Island , SC Marine Corp Boot Camp in the summer of 1963. There are many stories I could tell right now about that experience however, most of them i’d get censored for so, i’d better not go there right now. We spent 4 years in the Marine Corp together and the most lasting thing they taught us was, we were all willing to give our life, if called upon, for your brother and sister in arms.
From the comments I have read from above, he was willing to do that for a lot of you students and friends. I will miss him for sure and if i had to guess…he’s probably helping guard Heaven’s doors in his dress blue uniform right now and being told to watch out for somebody like me that will try to sneak in.
Always Faithful…..MSgt (retired) U S A F Buddy Kidd
I had the fortune of coaching football and basketball alongside Cov for a number of years at West Brook. Cov was passionate about helping kids…and touched the lives of those he came across.
I’ll never forget the hard hat he wore during football practice. What a character! Bless you Cov!
Coach, you were hands down my favorite and most memorable instructor at West Brook! You were loved and trusted by so many students… many who needed to hear just one of your jokes to get them through the day… and snacks!! You were the snack KING of WB!! You were an amazing human being, and after all these years, I still will never forget you. Rest easy, Coach Cov 🕊
Rest easy Coach. We love you. I was always your Sis. You always called me that. I will never forget you!
RIP
Donna Rizzotto (your Sis)
Rest easy Coach, you were an inspiration to us all!
It was a pleasure to work down A hall from Cov. He always brightened my day with a joke or a big smile. He was a good teacher, coach, and friend. He will be missed by many of us lucky enough to have worked with him.
Donna Gwynn
Cov and I worked many years together at West Brook HS. He and I, along with several retired coaches were just recognized at a basketball game a couple of months ago. It was good to see and talk to him there. You never know when it is the last time.
Rest in peace Cov
Jessie White
My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. I met him when I was a student at South Park High School. My older brother was in football in his freshman year and I always thought of Coach as a nice man and great coach.
Dear Coach, thank you for picking,
Monsignor Kelly Catholic High School,
To Teach and Coach.
Us St. Anthony’s Kids, , tested you right away, from the beginning!!
Like our first day of school in PE class, you had us boys run a mile.
After about 45 minutes , of running,
OK maybe walking !
The St Anthony boys, Only , still RUNNING!
you called us in to go take a shower so we could make our next class.🥇
Where it all started. 1st. Day!!!
What a fabulous four years,
your first high school coaching career.
You knew for sure it could only Be uphill from there.
Coach, we had the time of our life, in the classroom and on the field.
Four years of excitement, punishment, for me a lick every day , from coach.
Coach, you made a lot of us who we are today over 51 years later.
The first four years you were a coach, , teacher, a mentor, our coach/marine drill, sergeant, that made us tougher than nails.
Our JV, 9-0 without a single point scored against us!!!000.
The Boys became men, In four short years!!!
The next 47years, you were a friend,
a brother, and still Our Hero.💙🇺🇸💙
From the class of 1977,
We Salute you, ,Coach Jerry Covington.🙏🙏
Your very 1st , Freshman class of your career. 💙
And your first graduation class of four years from KHS.💙😇💙
We Love You Coach.💙💙💙
For me personally I enjoyed every Year of Our Friendship. 51 years!
There’s so many stories, between the lines, the and classrooms of 1974-1977 with you coach,
You kept Us steady,,
Kept Us grounded,,
You taught us,
You beat us,
You Showed us.
You Loved us.
You give us everything we needed to Win, ln life.
THANK YOU COACH.🙏🙏
, if you want it, go get it.
If you get knocked down, get up,
fight through it,
don’t give up ,
don’t ever look back.
Coach, I do look back at our years from the beginning !
They were solid, they were informative. They were challenging., They were very rewarding. From your shoulders to ours ..
THANK YOU COACH. 🛐🛐
Coach , What wonderful times those four years of high school, the majority of School, was because of you and your determination, to make us,
Mature, Hungry, Respectful, Dominated , Smart, Fearless, Responsible, Intelligent , Believers !!! .❤️
Thank You, God, For
Coach, Jerry Covington. 🙏💙💙💙🙏
Goodbye Coach, it was an honor to play for you, to be your friend, to be that person in life you could count on.
All you had to do , was call and I would be there.
Just like you’re always there for me, and all of us..
I’m gonna miss you Coach !
I’m sorry I never bought you a chocolate shake!
, because I knew others , “Jim” would bring you one..
We never got to do the two of days in the hospital !
How much I was looking forward to doing that with you, just like old days.
Coach, when I sent you the Toby Keith song, “Don’t let the old man in”.
We played it in your hospital room.
And I looked at you, as if you are 30-year-old, tough, fearless, Marine / Coach.
That No brick wall could keep you out,
You feared only fear itself.!!
And I looked into your eyes,
Coach I’m sorry, I wanted to believe you were this 50 year old man, fighting.
I knew there No way you could lose..
That song opened my eyes, as I looked at my coach, I finally could see the old man, got in !!
After three months fighting, blood clots, blood infection, Covid, broken peas, Etc.
I realized , then .
Our Coach was tired 😢,
Coach, We love you, We will never forget what You, meant to Us. Never!
Man, I’m going to Miss This Man, I’m going to Miss our talks, our meals, our good times .
I surprised Coach at church on his 80th birthday. 🎈🎈🎈
I was more excited to be there, than he was .😇
Coach, it was my honor and privilege , when you would introduce me,
Rodney was one of My ball players z💙💙💙
Thank You Coach, first , for believing in Me, and putting Me in the Game .🏈
JESUS LOVED COACH
COACH LOVED JESUS .❤️❤️❤️
THIS I KNOW .✝️
My Deepest condolences.✝️✝️✝️
Kelly ,Katie , Jesse , grandchildren’s, family and friends,
The ball players. .🏈🏈🏈
I’m so very Sorry for your loss.
Rodney. KHS 1977🙏🙏
Rodney, what a great tribute to coach. You were such a good friend to him especially the last 3 months. Thank you for all you do.
Love you, your sis Steph
He talked fondly about you always!
Coach Covington was an awesome coach and Great person, he was a Blessing to many. We are praying for the family
Miss you, my friend.
See you one day soon, I believe, in Heaven….
Until then…..
Sundra
May he rest in peace. “Coach” Covington taught me in high school at South Park. Prayers for his family.