It's no surprise that the very last words from Apple Co-founder Steve Jobs before leaving this mortal world would be any less dramatic than the visionary life lived by a man who truly left a dent in the universe.
His words were simply; "OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW." according to a eulogy printed by The New York Times today from Jobs' sister and novelist Mona Simpson. The eulogy was delivered on October 16h at the private memorial held for Jobs at Stanford University's Memorial Church.
Simpson opened the moving tribute to her brother by revealing a deep desire for her estranged father to return to her life and become the be-all-and-end-all. Instead, it was Jobs who ended up filling that role.
"Even as a feminist, my whole life I’d been waiting for a man to love, who could love me. For decades, I’d thought that man would be my father. When I was 25, I met that man and he was my brother."
Simpson spoke of her brother's product loyalty, referring to the black St. Croix mock-turtleneck sweater that became an iconic wardrobe signature for Steve Jobs during his lifetime.
"For an innovator, Steve was remarkably loyal. If he loved a shirt, he’d order 10 or 100 of them. In the Palo Alto house, there are probably enough black cotton turtlenecks for everyone in this church."
The over 2,300 word eulogy is a wonderful read, perfectly timed by arriving just one week after the Steve Jobs biography hit bookstore shelves. How fitting that Mona Simpson would deliver the one more thing added to her brother's enduring legacy.
"Steve’s final words, hours earlier, were monosyllables, repeated three times." Simpson wrote.
"Before embarking, he’d looked at his sister Patty, then for a long time at his children, then at his life’s partner, Laurene, and then over their shoulders past them.
Steve’s final words were:
OH WOW. OH WOW. OH WOW."
Whatever Jobs saw, it must have been remarkable.
[Jobs art by Miraving]
insteresting last words. i wonder what he saw
Posted by: meizitang | November 15, 2011 at 06:27 AM
What a remarkable man and remarkable last words.
Posted by: Tours of the Vatican | November 07, 2011 at 02:45 PM
Because you were actually there, weren't you Dave?
Posted by: Hah | October 30, 2011 at 08:24 PM
I'm sure she is embellishing. More likely they were barely audible gasps that sounded something like "oh-ow"
Posted by: Dave | October 30, 2011 at 07:33 PM