BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.—On Wednesday, the community not only lost a friend and dedicated family man—it lost a dedicated first responder.
“He took enormous pride in volunteering at the fire departments! He had a passion for helping people,” stated his cousin, Samantha Faulk Anderson.
For more than 20 years, Maywood “Tunkin” Gaskins, 56, volunteered his time helping keep people safe. He loved his role as the battalion chief for Santee Circle Fire Department, and it was a position he took pride in.
“He not only was family by blood but family by the brotherhood,” stated Phillip Martin who worked alongside his cousin in the fire service for more than a decade. “He was a great firefighter and first responder. He was dedicated and loved what he did! It hurts my heart deeply that he left so soon.”
When dispatched to calls, Maywood was one of the first responders to arrive on scene and often the last to leave.
While he loved his own fire station, he never hesitated to help his fellow brothers and sisters in other neighboring fire departments.
“He watched out for you. If he thought you was too tired or hot, he would let you know to take a break,” explained Martin. “He never once thought he was too high on the chain to take orders or
advice from another active member, even if you ranked lower than him! I looked up to him, and I want to be more like him as I grow more in my department.”
On early Wednesday morning, Maywood passed away after going into cardiac arrest. He became ill following a department drill the night before. While on the way to a local hospital, the ambulance carrying him and a logging truck collided. Fortunately, the EMTs inside the ambulance involved were not seriously injured.
“I was in shock about the whole thing and concerned, and then I got news that Maywood was the
patient, my heart dropped,” added Martin. “He is gone but will never be forgotten! Brother, as we lay you to rest, don’t worry about us. We will take it from here.”
Like many of the Gaskins in Berkeley County, Maywood was a hard worker who took pride in his work outside of firefighting.
“He was a skilled craftsman and did beautiful work,” stated Anderson.
Catherine Mills can certainly vouch for this. Several years ago, he put down new flooring inside her home as well as installed new exterior paneling outside of her house.
“When he did a job, he did it well. I never saw anyone go to such extreme to make sure a job was done right. He was a perfectionist,” Mills stated. “He would do anything in the world for anybody. He loved to talk. He was full of life, and you never saw him down. He was always smiling.”
Along with his kind heart, he had a quick wit and comical side to match.
“I have seen him go out of his way help anyone he can,” stated Mandy Baez. “And he had a great sense of humor and quick word to boot.”
“He would keep you laughing and was an AVID jokester,” stated Anderson.
Maywood enjoyed the simple things in life like hanging out with his family, hunting, fishing and, yes, drinking Mountain Dew.
“They need to have a Mountain Dew on the casket. He kept cases in his truck. He wouldn’t go anywhere without them. I always saw him drinking them,” Mills recalled with a smile.
Maywood leaves behind two daughters, a sister and six grandchildren.
His viewing will take place this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. His service will then start at 1 p.m. at the chapel of Russell Funeral Home in Moncks Corner. The family will receive visitors at his daughter, Misty’s home, in Shulerville.
Note: One of the challenges I occasionally face when writing/posting stories about Berkeley County is that they can hit too close to home. If my last name isn’t any indication, this story is certainly one of those times. It’s a little weird writing about family members; however, I hope this article will speak to Maywood’s character and others will strive to be as dedicated to their community and family as he was. Randy Fallaw, a fellow firefighter and friend from Berkeley County who also lost his life less than a year ago, said it best: “The only reason firefighters die is because God needs reinforcement to battle the flames of hell.”
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