Apple CEO Tim Cook reflects on Steve Jobs' passing in an email to employees

By Sam Colt

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passed away on Oct. 5, 2011, due to complications stemming from his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 56.

The three-year anniversary that historic passing is this Sunday, so Tim Cook sent an email to Apple employees reflecting on Jobs' global impact.

We first got wind of the email from 9to5Mac's Mark Gurman.

Here's what Cook had to say:

Team,

Sunday will mark the third anniversary of Steve's passing. I'm sure that many of you will be thinking of him on that day, as I know I will.

I hope you'll take a moment to appreciate the many ways Steve made our world better. Children learn in new ways thanks to the products he dreamed up. The most creative people on earth use them to compose symphonies and pop songs, and write everything from novels to poetry to text messages. Steve's life's work produced the canvas on which artists now create masterpieces.

Steve's vision extended far beyond the years he was alive, and the values on which he built Apple will always be with us. Many of the ideas and projects we're working on today got started after he died, but his influence on them - and on all of us - is unmistakable.

Enjoy your weekend, and thanks for helping carry Steve's legacy into the future.

- Tim

Apple usually reflects on Jobs' legacy in some way around this time every year since his passing.

Last year, Cook emailed employees. In 2012, Cook posted a letter to the company's website. And the day after Jobs passed in 2011, the company posted a Jobs remembrance to its homepage, which remains on the site to this day.