The following announcement, written by a family member, came to me March 19 from Steve Elliot's friend and chartermaster Rick Iwatsubo.

"It is with deep regret and sorrow that I inform you that my brother, Steve Elliott, passed away last night at approximately 11:00PM PT, after his long hard-fought battle with cancer.

"On behalf of Steve, and the rest of my immediate and extended family, I wanted to thank you all for your support and kindness during Steve's illness. He was touched and honored knowing how much he was cared for by friends, family and those around him. It was comforting to know that he was not alone in his fight and that there were many who were willing to help support him along the way.

"Everyday, Steve was able to clearly see how abundantly blessed he was, despite the challenging times. The visits, meals, gifts, heart-warming letters, cards, etc, were only a few examples of your kindness towards him. The list went on and on, as did your selfless generosity. There is no possible way to express our sincere gratitude for all of the efforts and sacrifices that you made in an effort to make the tough journey for him this past year a little easier.

"Steve was very firm in his desire that there be no funeral or memorial service. Rather, his wish was for everybody, individually, to just take a few moments on their own to reflect on the laughs and good times that he was able to share with each of you. He was humbled by the outpouring of love, support and friendship shown him over the course of his life and he considered himself truly blessed."