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The man best-known for being the bright mind behind much of Apple Computer's innovative technology products has died. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was 56.
He stepped down from his post as Apple CEO just this August, saying he could no longer meet his duties. Jobs was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2004.
Jobs co-founded Apple with Steve Wozniak in the late 1970s. He left in the mid-1980s, and went on to take the computer graphics division of George Lucas' Lucasfilm Ltd. and turn it into the wildly successful Pixar Animation Studio, where he stayed on as CEO until it was bought by Disney in 2006. In the interim, he'd been brought back to Apple when the company bought out his venture NeXt; Jobs was CEO of Apple from 1997 until this summer.
Born in 1955, Jobs was adopted. His biological sister is author Mona Simpson; their biological father Abdulfattah John Jandali has said he did not reach out to his famous son for fear Jobs would think he was interested in his money.
Jobs has been married to his wife, Laurene, since 1991; the couple has four children. Jobs also has a daughter from a previous relationship.
Apple released the following statement with the announcement of Jobs' death:
"We are deeply saddened to announce that Steve Jobs passed away today." "Steve's brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve."
"Steve Jobs was a great California innovator who demonstrated what a totally independent and creative mind can accomplish. Few people have made such a powerful and elegant imprint on our lives. Anne and I wish to express our deepest sympathy to Steve’s wife, Laurene, and their entire family."
