John N. Covert
OBITUARY
John N. Covert, 95, of Bethlehem, PA, passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family on Thursday, October 30, 2025, in the comfort of his home. He was the beloved husband of Carol (Hawkey) Covert of 71 wonderful years. John was born on August 23, 1930, in Tarrytown, NY, to the late Irving and Genevieve Evelyn (Collins) Covert.
John proudly served in the U.S. Marine Corps., where he was a second Lieutenant and served during the Korean Conflict. John was a 1953 graduate of Buffalo State. John started his career at Ossining High School, in New York, where he taught History and coached track and field. His team won seven state crowns and twice finished No. 1 high school cross country team in the nation. He gained international recognition as both a coach and an administrator. A former president of the IC4A Coaches Association, John was inducted into the Buffalo State Hall of Fame.
He began his career at Lehigh University in 1967, where he was a longtime cross country and track head coach, and brought a period of sustained success to Lehigh between 1967-1992. In 1978, he took the U.S. National Olympic junior track and field team to both the Soviet Union and Germany. In 1983, he was head manager of the Select USA/The Athletes Congress track and field team in Italy and England. He led Lehigh to a regional prominence on the cross-country scene. John was the recipient of multiple Hall of Fame awards at Lehigh. Completed in the fall of 2017, the John and Carol Covert Track and Field Pavilion was opened as the first permanent structure at Lehigh’s track complex on the Goodman Campus. John’s name is also attached to the annual John Covert Classic indoor track meet, held annually by Lehigh since 1993 at Rauch Fieldhouse.
He was a member of the Amateur Athlete Union. John was the former owner of the Blue Mountain Sports Camp. He was a member of Wesley United Methodist Church, of Bethlehem. John was very active in Habitat for Humanity, traveling all over the country building homes.
John will be deeply missed by his wife, Carol; children, Ronald W. Covert and wife Leah, of Allentown, Susan L. Yoo and husband Joseph S. Yoo, Jr., of Nazareth, and Kimberly J. Mojer and husband Michael, of Cortlandt Manor, NY; 6 grandchildren, Keaton C. Yoo and wife Angela, Colin J. Yoo and wife Helen Paredes, Tyler Mojer and wife Heather Hayes, Jesse Mojer and wife Ashley McGurk, Todd Covert and wife Olivia Evers, and Meghan G. Torres and husband Alex; also, blessed with 9 great-grandchildren. He was pre-deceased by twin brothers, Robert and Raymond Covert.
Family and friends of John are invited to a Memorial Service on Saturday, December 6, 2025, at 10:30 AM at Wesley United Methodist Church, 2540 Center St, Bethlehem, PA 18017. A visitation will be held on Saturday from 9:00-10:30 AM at the church. John’s burial is private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John’s memory to “St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital” and mailed to 501 St. Jude Place Memphis TN 38105, or to “Tunnels to Towers Foundation” online at https://t2t.org/. The Joseph F. Reichel Funeral Home Inc., of Nazareth, is honored to have John and his family in our care.