Richard Chafin Coveny passed away Tuesday Oct. 11, 2016 at Stamford Hospital. He was 76 years old.
Richard Coveny, 76, passed away on Tuesday, Oct. 11.
Richard, Dick to friends, was a media mogul, entrepreneurial programing visionary and prolific television producer. He produced several talk shows including Phil Donahue, Sally Jesse Raphael and Jerry Springer winning nine Emmy awards along the way.
Eventually he became President of Blair Enterprises, redefining how advertising was bought and sold for broadcast networks.
Following the success of these shows, Mr. Coveny then formed his own group, with the backing of Universal Studios. Dick began Talk TV International, producing a variety of broadcast (both talk and game) shows throughout Europe for clients like Proctor and Gamble. He retired in 2003.
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— an obituary from Edward Lawrence Funeral Home. Visiting times and funeral details have not been announced.
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Originally from Los Angeles, Richard Coveny attended the Midland School, where he achieved Eagle Scout and U.C. Berkeley, where he played soccer in the NCAA national championships. He graduated in 1962 as a member of Delta-Tau-Delta fraternity. He then made the move to New York City the following year. In 1965 he was named as one of Cosmopolitan Magazine’s most eligible bachelors.
In 1967 Mr. Coveny met and married Linda Sharon, who predeceased him in 2012. They had three beloved daughters and divorced in 2004.
He was an avid outdoorsman and loved to ski, play tennis and fish at his second home in Oregon. He was an active member of many organizations including the Bohemian Club, New York Athletic Club, the Ad Club and The Advertising Guild.
He is survived by his daughters, Kellyann Coveny-Sequenzia (spouse Joseph Sequenzia; grandchildren, Leopold and Massimo) of Rowayton, Kristin Peck (spouse Robert Peck; grandchildren Taylor and Connor) of Darien and Amy Coveny of New York City, and brother, Terry Coveny of McKenzie, Ore.
He had a relentless can-do spirit, even in the face of overwhelming physical challenges. His fierce optimism was an inspiration to all who knew him. He was a big believer in dreaming big and celebrating every occasion, especially the Occasion of Life.
The family wishes to extend a very special thanks to the staff at Maplewood in Darien for all they did. And to Sally, who made the past two years of his life the best in over a decade. All who knew him were better for it. We will miss him dearly. His spirit lives on in all who loved him.
Readings:
The Year of the Lord’s Favor
61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a] 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.
John 11:21-27New International Version (NIV)
21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”
23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”
24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.”
25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18New International Version (NIV)
16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.