Steven Michael Danzig

   Steven Michael Danzig, 55, of Bloomington, passed away Friday, July 4, 2008, at his home after aggressively and creatively battling prostate cancer for more than nine years. Born on January 4, 1953, in Evanston, Illinois, he was the son of Robert and Sarah (Gershuny) Danzig.
   He owned and operated his own small business for nearly 30 years. Steve was politically active even in his high school years protesting against the Vietnam War. He was a famous and proudly infamous “professional student” at Indiana University through the 1970s and 1980s. He holds and will forever hold the record for most incompletes at IU. He would no doubt have attained high scores in all classes but simply became bored and moved on to new topics. The Bloomington Faculty Council eventually enacted a rule to prevent limitless incompletes - a guideline Steve cheerfully called “The Danzig Rule.”
   After being elected Freshmen Class President, his first official act was to abolish the post.
   Behind all the humor was a dedicated, pragmatic idealist who cared deeply about issues and actively pursued his passion to stand up for the little guy. His motto was never ask questions if the answer might be “no.”
   Danzig served as IU Student Body President from 1973-74. He created the IUSA Faculty Course Evaluation, IMU Ride Board, and Computer Date Match. He helped found Student Legal Services, the Voters’ Union, and the Tenants’ Union - all three of which defended and established student rights for generations to come.
   The Danzig touch was put on the map nationally when his “invention” appeared on the Today Show. The Skylab Survival Kit jokingly included a map of where not to stand and a plastic helmet designed to save its wearer from the falling satellite.
   Steve laughed with everybody and at himself, and loved his family and friends.
   Survivors include his wife, Connie Stewart, who he happily married on July 4, 1992; sister and brother-in-law, Liz & Jed Derry of Costa Mesa, CA; goddaughter Maggie Fleener of Mitchell, close friends and family, and many favorite cousins. He considered his cats, Lautrec and Potter, to be his kids as he did Picasso and Sushi, before them.
   There will be no formal service, but a remembrance party will soon be announced.

Online memorial contributions can be made to www.prostatecancerfoundation.org or to the Bloomington Hospital Hospice.

Online condolences can be expressed to the bereaved family.