South Dakota Married Couple Die on Same Day After Battling Cancer: ‘They Were Wonderful Parents’

A married couple in South Dakota, who were both battling cancer, tragically died on the same day within only 12 hours of each other.

Steve Hawkins, 58, an EMS Administrator for Yankton County, South Dakota, died on Friday after a nearly five-year battle with cancer, according to the county’s EMS Facebook page.

Steve was hired to be an administrator in Yankton in June after serving as a paramedic in Cody, Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park, and San Diego. He was known as a friendly leader who took care of his employees, according to Troy Cowman, the deputy administrator for the EMS.

“Steve was the kind of leader that ran the business the way it should be run,” Cowman told Keloland News. “He made sure the needs of employees were taken care of.”

Later that same day, Steve’s wife, Wendy Hawkins, 52, also died after a short battle with cancer. She was known as a “devoted” mother.

Steve and Wendy leave behind three children in their 20s — two sons and a daughter.

“It’s just a shock to the system. All of here [Yankton County EMS] are working through it,” said Cowman. He also added that the county EMS would be available to help the children cope with the loss while handling their parents’ medical costs and funeral expenses.

A GoFundMe page has been organized by one of Steve and Wendy’s sons to help pay for funeral costs.

“They were wonderful parents and took very good care of [their] family and I am trying to take care of them,” the son wrote.

You can follow Ethan Letkeman on Twitter at @EthanLetkeman.