Hal,
Steve Creager passed away in January 2006 from lung cancer, mesotheleoma. Steve's home was Jefferson City, Missouri but he was from Stillwater, Oklahoma. Steve was a good friend for many years. We worked on many things together, spent many enjoyable (and some not so enjoyable) days in the mountains together. Steve has written several excellent articles concerning the mountains and the LDM. He was working on several more things when he became too sick to carry on. He is much missed to say the least.
Steve had a large collection of research material and things he picked up over the years. He had two partners and we loaned Steve some things he was interested in for things he was working on. After Steve passed away, certain unscrupulous and underhanded members of the dutchman community tried to make contact with Steve's family and get all of Steve's material. They were successful in obtaining some things but not his entire collection as I understand it.
I have many things of Steve's he copied me on as he worked on different projects. I have turned most all of what I have over to the Superstition Mountain Historical Society archives as it was always Steve's wish to have his articles (and book) published. Greg Davis, the SMHS president has published one or two of Steve's articles in the annual SMHS Journal and plans to publish another one of Steve's work in an upcoming issue.
These underhanded members of the dutchman society succeeded in getting some of the personal items That Steve's partners had loaned Steve and were in his collection when he died. These were private, confidential and some very valuable items, things Steve had been given permission to use in his work. One item was a tape recording of Brownie Holmes previously unknown to the dutch community. This tape since has been passed around to several equally underhanded individuals. Requests to return the tape to it's rightful owner have been laughed at. And these are among the most "respected" (I use that term with tounge in cheek) members of the current dutch community.
Steve was a great person, became a fine hiker and outdoorsman who spent many days and nights in the wildest parts of the Supperstition Mountains. He had a deep love for adventure and the mountains and tasted a healthy serving of both I am proud to say. I miss him.
Matthew