Dear Friends, 

This is Joyce writing.

Some of may know, but many of you may not. Our beloved Steve passed away Wednesday, August 11th. He was in our local hospital and had a cardiac event that took his life gently and quickly. I’m sorry that I can’t contact you each individually but with the amazingly large number of friends, it would be impossible. 

 

He will be sorely missed by so many. What a wonderful man and you all know the words so often used to describe him; gentle, funny, caring, thoughtful, insightful, giving, and many, many more. 

 

His life has been very difficult physically over the past 2-3 years and yet he bore it with grace and equanimity. Every person he encountered was always treated with kindness and given the dignity due to them. As you know, he could see the person behind the mask. 

 

During this time, our relationship has grown and gotten closer. You may not know that we have been together since I was 13 years old. I will miss him so much and yet at this point in time, I am filled with the blessing of our time together. He was so ready to move on to his next journey and was very strong in his spiritual practice, which has been a constant focus for him. As for me, I’m left with the peace of knowing that he’s in a better place and that I was a good wife, nurse, and partner throughout this illness. 

 

I want to leave you with this poem by Merrit Malloy. I took the liberty to abbreviate a bit.

 

When you need me,

Put your arms 

Around anyone

And give to them

What you need to give to me.

 

Look for me

In the people I’ve known 

Or loved, 

And if you cannot give me away, 

At least let me live in your eyes

and not on your mind.

 

You can love me most by letting 

Hands touch hands

By letting 

Bodies touch bodies.

 

Love doesn’t die, 

People do

So, when all that’s left of me

Is Love, 

 

Joyce