The founder of Sea Turtle, Inc was Ila Fox Loetscher.  She fell in love with the Kemp’s ridley and decided to take up the protection of sea turtles as her life’s work. Ila began rehabilitating injured sea turtles at her home on South Padre Island. Over the years, this began to draw in many curious visitors. She took every opportunity to speak about the plight of sea turtles and how the average tourist might assist in saving them from extinction.

By 1977, Ila was receiving so many guests into her home that she formed Sea Turtle, Inc. into the present non-profit. The all-volunteer organization assisted her in education and rehab work with the sea turtles. In 1994, Ila’s health began to fail and the volunteers started to take a more active role in the operation of STI. In 1997, Ila’s health no longer permitted her to participate in the mission of STI. Volunteers stepped forward to continue Ila’s work in preserving sea turtles. Ila died in January of 2000 at the age of 95.