Thaindian News

PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA (BNO NEWS) — Steve Jobs, the iconic entrepreneur who co-founded Apple in the 1970s, died of respiratory arrest caused by a pancreatic tumor, according to his death certificate which was released on late Monday.

Jobs died at his home in Palo Alto, California on Wednesday after a long battle with various health issues, but neither his family nor Apple had disclosed the cause of his death. Jobs’ family previously said he died peacefully while surrounded by his family.

According to a document released by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, Jobs died at around 3 p.m. local time on Wednesday. It lists respiratory arrest as the immediate cause of death, with metastatic pancreas neuroendocrine tumor as the underlying cause.

No autopsy was performed on the body of Jobs, whose occupation was described as a high-tech entrepreneur on his death certificate. He was buried on Friday in California in what was previously characterized as a small private gathering.

Jobs, who co-founded Apple Inc. - at first known as Apple Computer, Inc. - in April 1976, was first diagnosed in 2004 with islet cell neuroendocrine tumor, a rare type of pancreatic cancer. He subsequently underwent a pancreaticoduodenectomy which appeared to successfully remove the tumor.

However, as rumors surrounding his deteriorating health persisted, the Apple executive began exhibiting noticeable weight loss in 2008 which he credited to a hormone imbalance. In April 2009, Jobs underwent a liver transplant at the Methodist University Hospital Transplant Institute in Memphis, Tennessee.

Earlier this year, in mid-January, Jobs announced he would take a medical leave while few details about his condition were released. “I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can,” he said in an email sent to Apple employees in January.

As concern about Jobs’ health increased, Jobs announced on August 24 he would resign as CEO, saying he was no longer able to serve. “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know,” Jobs said in a letter to the company’s board of directors and the Apple Community. “Unfortunately, that day has come.”

Steve Jobs was 56.