The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is reporting that the wife of former Steelers head coach, Kaye Cowher, has passed away at age 54 of skin cancer. She passed away in North Carolina, where the Cowhers had made their home since Bill Cowher stepped down as Steelers head coach following the 2006 season.

Kaye played basketball for North Carolina State University where she met Bill, and then went on to play briefly for a professional women’s team in the late 1970’s.

In addition to her husband William Laird Cowher, Kaye is survived by her three daughters Megan, Lauren, and Lindsay, all of whom have followed in their mother’s footsteps as been standout basketball players.

The news comes as a shock, as it was not even publicly known that Kaye Cowher had been ill. The Cowhers have requested privacy, although it has been announced that her funeral will be held on Monday in North Carolina.

Steel Curtain Rising will likely have more to say about the Cowhers in the future, but for the time being we’ll simply call on the rest of Steelers Nation to join us in offering the Cowher’s our condolences and our prayers.