Steven Martin died August 13 at his Valencia Street home. He was 47.
Steven grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, where he developed an insatiable curiosity about the world. He moved to San Francisco in the mid-1980s and immersed himself in alternative culture.
Working his way up from barback at the I-Beam to bartender at the Stud, his was a familiar face in the club scene and at Pride parades. After testing positive for HIV, undaunted, he took off for a grand tour through Europe. He returned to the South where he farmed specialty lettuce, groomed dogs, and imported tropical fish. Steven and his partner Mike had a long-term relationship that remained important to him always.
Steven volunteered doing Hurricane Katrina relief work in Louisiana, then came back to San Francisco. His interest in botany frequently brought him to the Arboretum and Conservatory of Flowers. He worked occasionally in video production, always eager to learn new things.
Most important to Steven was his immediate family. Survivors include his mother Laure Martin, sister Susan Martin Hartman, brother Terry Martin, and a beloved niece and nephew. They and many close friends will hold him in their hearts forever.