EAGLE BUTTE, SD – Tommy Jo Hawk Eagle, 27, of Eagle Butte, passed away Sunday morning, June 14, 2026, at the Cheyenne River Health Center in Eagle Butte surrounded by lots of family and friends.
Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m. MDT, Thursday, June 25, 2026, at the CEB Auditorium, Eagle Butte. Burial will follow in the Eagle Butte Cemetery. Wake services will be 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at the auditorium with a procession from the 4-Mile at 4:00 p.m.
Tommy Jo Hawk Eagle, also known as “JoJo,” made her appearance on June 28, 1998, in Pierre, South Dakota, to Thomas Lance Hawk Eagle and Sammi Lee Cloud Eagle. She was their oldest child and a proud big sister to her siblings Harlee, Louie, Lance, Hunter, Dionne Klair, and her number one baby, Dexter Allen. She loved every moment of being a big sister and cared for, protected, and loved her siblings in a way that no one else could.
In 2018, our family was blessed with the most beautiful baby girl, little Miss Dionne Klair. From that moment on, Tommy Jo and Dionne became inseparable. Over the years, they grew incredibly close and went everywhere together. Like normal siblings, they had disagreements, but Tommy Jo loved that little girl with all her heart and would have done anything for her. She made sure Dionne was spoiled and knew how much she was loved.
Tommy Jo had a huge heart for animals. If she came across an animal anywhere, she immediately fell in love with it and wanted to bring it home. She left behind six fur babies: her three dogs, Lilo, Major, and Apollo; her two cats, Little Baby and Junior; and her pet bunny, Ruby. She had plans to someday get a parrot and teach it how to talk smack to everyone.
Growing up, Tommy Jo was full of life and energy and always kept everyone on their toes. As a teenager, she enjoyed playing volleyball and basketball, listening to music, and spending time with her friends. She was known for being brave, stepping up when needed, living life to the fullest, and having a personality that could light up any room.
She grew up alongside her siblings and cousins Mia, Hayden, Taya Baby, Rock, Tien, Jauslen, Jjavon, Unique, Tucker, and Fallynn. They spent countless days swimming, hanging out at Grandma Fern and Grandpa Harvey’s, riding their bikes all over Habitat, playing kickball in the backyard, and playing basketball in the street while their mom and dad watched nearby.
Tommy Jo’s preschool journey was short-lived but became a story her family would never forget. On her first day of Head Start, she stood at the end of the driveway with her dad, Tom, waving goodbye to everyone who had gathered outside to see her off. She was excited and ready to ride the bus. However, shortly after the bus pulled away, it made it only to the other side of the driveway before stopping. The doors opened, and her dad saw Tommy Jo running off the bus, crying and yelling, “I QUIT!” After that, they never sent her back.
She attended Cheyenne Eagle Butte School from kindergarten through high school and graduated with the Class of 2016. During her school years, she participated in many activities, sports, and trips to various college campuses. She made many lifelong friendships, including with her best friend, Kyzier. Being a member of the Class of 2016 was something she was always proud of.
During the summers of 2012 through 2015, Tommy Jo attended GEAR UP at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota, where she became a member of Cohort 19. She made many friends there, and they became one big family. Even though they went their separate ways at the end of each summer, they always remained there for one another. After high school, she attended the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, but her time there was cut short when she decided she wanted to be closer to her family.
Tommy Jo had a great passion for sports, especially volleyball and basketball. She played on various traveling teams and attended countless tournaments. She later gave back to younger athletes by coaching the C Team for one year and serving as head coach for the CEB Braves C Team the following year. She enjoyed teaching young girls the skills and lessons she had learned during her own time as a student-athlete.
Tommy Jo had an incredibly strong work ethic. Her determination to teach young children and the love and passion she showed every child in her care will forever be unmatched. From 2018 to 2019, she worked as a Youth Programming Assistant with The Main, working with children ages 12 to 14. At the time of her passing, Tommy Jo was employed at the Child Care Center in Eagle Butte as a nursery aide caring for children ages 0 to 3, but she was always willing to lend a helping hand wherever she was needed.
When her sister Harlee joined her at work, the two became known for their playful pranks on their boss, Candace. Some of their memorable jokes included wrapping Candace’s entire office in gift wrapping paper, covering her vehicle in plastic wrap, and during the week of the Young Child Parade, placing pictures of their boss on all four tires so she would not feel left out. All of the children knew Teacher Tommy as “JoJo.” The moment she walked through the door, the room would fill with excited voices yelling, “JOJO!” She will be deeply missed by everyone she worked with, especially her daycare babies.
In May of last year, during a family gender reveal, Tommy Jo was asked to become the godmother of Kani A’ky Kuntz, the son of Charles Kuntz and Unique Hawk Eagle. When she received the news, she told everyone that if the baby was a girl she would be “Auntie Tommy,” and if it was a boy she would be “Uncle Tommy.” She brought joy and laughter to every family gathering and always made sure everyone had a good time.
During her free time, Tommy Jo enjoyed playing pool and darts with her dad. They traveled together to many dart tournaments and often played against each other in pool. Before long, they formed a dart team called “Tommy’s Crew” with their good family friend Thomas Fischer and her Uncle Efton Dog Eagle. Tommy Jo loved teasing her Uncle Efton and would jokingly tell him he could easily be replaced by his brother Cody. She cherished her dart family and her pool family and enjoyed meeting new people and making lifelong friendships at tournaments.
Tommy Jo left unexpectedly on Sunday morning, June 14, 2026, with her mom and dad by her side. We know her relatives were there waiting to welcome her home. Our family would like to thank everyone who has reached out with love, prayers, and support. It means more than words can express. Our baby girl was loved by so many people and left a lasting impact on everyone blessed to have crossed paths with her.
Tommy Jo Hawk Eagle was preceded in death by her grandparents, Beverly Lee and Arnold Cloud Eagle Sr., Benjamin and Bernadine Hawk Eagle, Rose Bad Hand, and Grace Kasto; her Aunt Naomi Kasto; and her uncles Vincent Cloud Eagle and Sheldon Hawk Eagle.
Luce Funeral Home of Gettysburg has been entrusted with Tommy Jo’s arrangements.
