ST. PETERSBURG - Bill Sackett was reared in St. Louis. He saw the ocean for the first time while working on his doctorate in marine science.
He once confessed to becoming seasick on his first trip aboard a research vessel.
All that was behind him in 1979 when he joined the University of South Florida St. Petersburg as chairman of its Department of Marine Science, a post he held until 1983.
Dr. Sackett, a distinguished research professor, died Sunday (Nov. 30, 2003) at Palms of Pasadena Hospital, South Pasadena, after a short illness, his family said. He had multiple sclerosis. He was 73.
William Malcolm Sackett was born in St. Louis and did his undergraduate, graduate and doctoral studies at Washington University there.
Before joining USF, he was a faculty member of the University of Tulsa and Columbia University. Dr. Sackett also worked at Texas A&M University.
While at USF, he studied the potential damage of oil spills to the Gulf of Mexico. Survivors include his wife of 48 years, Ann; a brother, Don; two daughters, Susan Sackett-Wilk, Dallas, and Karen Akins, Stowe, Vt.; and three grandchildren.
A memorial service will be at 4 p.m. Dec. 12 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of St. Petersburg, 719 Arlington Ave. N.
The family suggests memorial contributions to the University of South Florida Foundation, Sackett Prize for Innovative Research (Fund 266710), 4202 E Fowler Ave., Tampa, FL 33602.
The Neptune Society of Palm Harbor, is in charge of arrangements.
- Information from Times files was used in this obituary.
