Thinking of Steve and Sue today.  Seem like the Botanical Gardens, Breckenridge and wine-poly were not that long ago but so much has happened since then.  Deb was recalling meeting Steve almost 50 years ago.  Our memories since that time including skiing, hot and sour soup, Greek food and wine, water pouring out of the ceiling light, our kids pediatrician, training recommendations, Hot Rize and many more.   Miss you Steve.  Many thoughts to you Sue.  “Too Soon Gone” the Band

My wife, Susan McLane, and I, Hal Smith, were Alaskan snowbirds in Tucson with few friends several years ago when volunteering at the Casa Alitas we first met Sue and Steve. We soon felt enveloped by them in a warm friendship that has impacted our lives deeply. Maybe it was the connection I felt with Steve that we had both spent many years in Indiana and had both attended Indiana U in Bloomington. Or maybe that we thought so strongly against an unjust war that we both became conscientious objectors to it; or that as life flowed on, we both developed a deep and abiding appreciation of The Grateful Dead. But in reality it was Sue and Steve's gracious attitudes towards us that we felt such an immediate bond of friendship.

Steve's lively sense of humor and wry wit made being around so much sadness and pain at the Casa much more bearable. We were always excited to know they would be working as their competence was soothing to the migrants, and their presence such a positive reassurance to those of us who worked with them.

We began going out to dinner with them and were in invited to their home many times. That is where we really learned how gifted they both were. Steve would bake baguettes rivaling those we had eaten in France and make desserts we had only seen in high-end restaurants. Sue's cooking was always something we drove home raving about and wondering if we could ever reproduce the recipes. They worked together cooking like a professional team as we would sit in awe sipping on wines selected by the ever gracious oenophile, Steve.

Although we only knew Steve for a few short years, we consider ourselves blessed to have even been a part of his life for that amount of time. His legacy will go forth by all who knew him, and we will certainly aspire to live a life as full and as rich as his. Rest in music, Steve!

Dear Sue,


As Julie was addressing a note of condolence from she and Steve and Dan and Jeannie she made the observation that to address something to just you "is just not right”.  She said that it has always been “Sue and Steve” and anything other than that is very sad.  Your relationship made an impact on our kids.  We couldn’t agree more with her thoughts.  It was heartbreaking to hear of Steve’s passing.  It prompted Deb and I to reflect on how important both of you have been in our lives.  


Deb reflects back to working with you at the West Rox VA, your inspiration, your work ethic and meeting Steve for the first time.  One of her most fond memories of Steve was his wry sense of humor and dry witty comments.  We remembered the impacts you and he had on us while living in Boston.  Introducing new and different foods like Retsina wine, sweet and sour soup and Red Zinger tea.  I am forever indebted to Steve for suggesting to look at the pediatric residency at CU.  We thought about the night you guys “bugged out” of Boston on your way to Colorado with water pouring out of the ceiling light fixture.  


Following you guys to Colorado and putting us up with a 4 month old Dan while we were house hunting.  Deb remembers dinner at Footers, putting Dan under the table in his infant seat and enjoying the time together.  Spending time together skiing, enjoying dinners or going to Hot Rize concerts.  Deb remembers going to your medical school graduation “heavily pregnant with Julie”.  Having Steve there for Julie’s delivery was reassuring to both of us.  Knowing our kids were in great hands with Steve as their pediatrician was also tremendously comforting.  The only bit of advice we may have disagreed with was when Steve told us to take Julie for a ride in the car to see if it helped with colic … “but not to drive too close to your house”.


We appreciated your presence at our kids weddings and being able to pick up where we last left off like it was yesterday.  In light of Steve’s passing we are very thankful to have been able to spend time with you both in September and spend time with the finer things in life like food, wine, hiking and time with such great friends.


We will all miss Steve deeply.  He was a remarkable, caring and devoted human being.  We feel fortunate to have been able to call both you and Steve friends.  We will never forget “Sue and Steve”.


The Harrington Family

Steve Thompson was a star on the forensics team at North Central High School in Indianapolis. On the way to speech meets, he rode in the front of the bus with the dramatics people. We younger extemp and impromptu people huddled in the back and punched up our pillows hoping for a few more minutes of sleep. The bus left the school for these Saturday events all over Indiana at 7 a.m. sharp. Later in the afternoon, when they handed out the awards, one would go to Steve for “dramatic interpretation,” and if there was a radio division, he won that, too. He was superb.

So it was no surprise that he was cast as the lead in his senior year in the play “One Foot in Heaven.” He played the Rev. William H. Spence, a pastor who had given up his medical training to devote himself to the service of others. (A bit close to the mark if you ask me.) I was cast as the wealthy church goer Mrs. Sandow whom the Reverend finally succeeds in getting to hand over major bucks. (I later went into fundraising.) But never mind all that. The important part is that I finally got to know Steve.  

What a gem he was. He went on to Indiana University as a psych major and displayed another amazing talent that must have served him well in future years: he could get by on four hours of sleep. I know this because the next year I also enrolled at IU and on walks around campus he told me so. And he always told the truth. 

We remained in touch through college, and so it was that I learned about Steve’s travails with the Indianapolis draft board. Once drafted, he attempted to register as a conscientious objector, but they wouldn’t buy it, Too late, they said. Insincere, they said. But Steve said he simply was not going to do the government’s bidding to kill people. Period. And since he was not interested in escaping to Canada either, he was arrested and there was a trial. At the trial Steve stated his case, whereupon the judge banged his gavel, declared Steve “a dangerous intellectual,” and sentenced him to three years in the federal penitentiary. Wow.

About six months later I drove with his parents and sister Katie from Indianapolis to visit him in prison in Marion, Illinois. Through the visitor glass he said that he had been given a tolerable job in the prison admin office and that his cell mate had taught him how to crack a safe. So he didn’t feel he was entirely wasting his time. A year later he was paroled back to Indianapolis for 18 months, ankle monitor and everything, and confined to the county. Casting about, he got a job, if memory serves, as an orderly in Riley Hospital in Indianapolis. Medicine!  

I next saw Steve about two years later in Boston where he was attending med school and living with the divine Sue. Can there be many better joys than seeing a dear friend matched with the perfect person? I had been adventuring in Turkey and running a cottage craft business there with my then-husband (a folkdancer from Queens) designing and jobbing out hippie clothes using fabulous ethnic textiles. Would Steve be interested in trying to sell some Sultan’s Shirt Tail goods for us? Yes, he would. 

So we took him some samples. Well, Steve did not make us rich, but nearly 50 years later he came to my 70th birthday party wearing one of those stripey tops.  

No one who knows me has not heard about Steve’s principled refusal to go kill in Vietnam and the price he paid for that. Now they’ve been hearing about his and Sue’s work with immigrants in Tucson. So many years of admiration. He just can’t be gone. 

By the way, did I tell you about the time Steve found something so funny he couldn’t stop laughing and finally, helplessly, rolled off the couch onto the floor? 

Or about the Indiana cornfield so packed with sparkling fireflies they became the whole show and will forever light my memory of Steve?

-Marilyn Bancel