Steve died shortly after his sons Bar Mitzvah which would be about 1996. It was Cancer. He had already beaten a bout with the disease a few years earlier but then it returned.

Steve's father died of Cancer when Steve was 16. Barry Tiras and I attended the Bar Mitzvah and it was the last time we saw him.

Steve was optimistic and held a positive attitude to the very end. There was no talk of death, only recovery. At the end, he had the opportunity to be surrounded by his family and to say the things that needed to be said.

Steve and Fran raised two wonderful kids, Josh and Dory. Both are wonderful, successful human beings and are doing well as is Franny. They had many good, close friends in Amherst and family who helped in all ways after Steve passed. Many hundreds of people attended the funeral.

Steve had spent many years as a social worker. One person after another got up to say Steve had, "saved their lives" and Franny didn't know any of them! These were people Steve had assisted in his job. But in his genuine humility he didn't speak of this at home. There was also a huge crowd of friends, of course. I miss his warm heart and sunny disposition.

He was one of the greatest guys I've ever known. He was truly a , "good man", deep and smart and a wise old soul.

I'm still a little angry a guy like him was taken so young.

Alan