photo by Matt Freed, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Kaye Young Cowher, wife of former Pittsburgh Steelers coach and CBS football analyst Bill Cowher, passed away after a battle with melanoma in North Carolina on July 23.
She was an accomplished athlete in her own right, playing basketball on a full scholarship along with her identical twin sister Faye at NC State, and later in the Women’s Professional Basketball league for three seasons. (Yes, the twins did commercials, including Doublemint gum and Dannon yogurt.) She was also a tireless advocate and fundraiser for Family Resources Inc., a Pittsburgh-based child abuse prevention and treatment agency.
Kaye Cowher was not always visible in Pittsburgh. She stayed out of the limelight, raising her three daughters in as normal and private a home as possible. She was so private that her illness was not common knowledge, and her passing came as a shock. Bill Cowher’s resistance to coaching offers makes a bit more sense now.
Here is his statement:
Sadly, my wife Kaye lost her battle with cancer on Friday. Kaye was such a loving and compassionate person and she was the foundation of our family. Kaye was always at my side throughout my career as a player, coach, NFL analyst and, most importantly, as a parent to our three daughters Meagan, Lauren and Lindsay. They will miss their mother dearly.
Our condolences to the Cowher family.
And wear your sunscreen, folks.