Myogen Steve Stücky

Photo: Liping Zhu

Photo: Liping Zhu

Steven Stücky / Daitsu Myogen
Great Pervading Subtle Eye
March 6, 1946 – December 31, 2013

San Francisco Zen Center’s first central abbot, Myogen Steve Stücky, died shortly after 4:00 on the morning of December 31 at his home in Rohnert Park, California. He was 67.

Since receiving a diagnosis of stage IV pancreatic cancer in late September, he has been widely admired for courageously sharing publicly his ongoing personal process of living with terminal illness, first in a dharma talk titled “Gratitude,” given two days after receiving his diagnosis, and subsequently with posts on his Subtle Eye blog. His longtime emphasis on body practice—learning from and respecting the body—took on a particular poignancy in the months leading up to his death. As he said in his talk, “Each of us can do something, right up to the last moment.”

Cremation Ceremony

Monday, January 6, 2014, at 10 am
Pleasant Hills Memorial Park and Mortuary
1700 Pleasant Hill Road, Sebastopol, CA 95472
707-823-5042

Sojun Mel Weitsman will officiate this small public ceremony.

Funeral Ceremony

Sunday, February 9, 2014, at 3 pm
Green Dragon Temple
1601 Shoreline Highway, Muir Beach, CA

Abbess Eijun Linda Cutts will officiate this public ceremony.

November 27

November 27

Abbot Steve completed another lay entrustment ceremony yesterday, for Tom Millard of the Dharma Eye Zen Center. Mary explained to me today that the...

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November 25

November 25

Dear Friends, There are moments of grace in our lives, and sometimes when we are quiet we are witnesses to them. Right now seems to be one of those...

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November 18

November 18

Dear Friends, Abbot Steve finished his first round of chemotherapy this past Thursday. This week he is able to take a break from chemo, and a blood...

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November 16: Blankets

November 16: Blankets

Abbot Steve heads to the infusion center at Kaiser several times a week for chemo and hydration. In the center is a glass-fronted case containing...

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November 20

Dear Ones, I have just completed one round of three chemotherapy treatments for Stage IV pancreatic cancer, a terminal illness. While I sincerely...

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November 7

Dear Friends, Abbot Steve returned home about an hour ago from the 2nd of 3 chemotherapy sessions in this first cycle of treatments. It was a long...

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November 5

November 5

Abbot Steve's pain level fluctuates a great deal, and periodic supplemental doses of medication are needed around the clock to keep it manageable....

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November 4

A brief update for now:  there doesn't appear to have been any significant effect from last week's chemo at this point, and the issues of pain,...

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