Statistically, he was vulnerable. Boomers 45 to 64 have the highest suicide rate of all age groups, according to 2006 figures, the latest available, from the National Center for Health Statistics. Dr. Myrna Weissman, a Columbia psychiatry professor and member of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, said that starting about 20 years ago researchers noticed a higher rate of depression in boomers than the previous generation at that age. They attributed the increase to a number of stresses: more divorces, more-transient lifestyles, more drug use. “We expected to see this generation’s suicide rate increase, since people are more likely to kill themselves as they age,” Dr. Weissman said.

The economy is an A-1 stressor. According to the federal Suicide Prevention Resource Center Web site, “widespread increases in unemployment” are “strongly linked with increases in suicide rates.” Men are most affected. While women attempt suicide three times as often as men, men “succeed” four times more often. In 2006, 33,308 Americans committed suicide, 26,308 of them men.

Scott Schnipper, who lives in Brooklyn, last saw his brother in February. He suggested an outing to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and brought along his son Adam, 4, to cheer up Uncle Steven. A mistake. “I was pulled between trying to care for Steven and trying to shield Adam from his distraught uncle,” Scott said. He tried to tell his brother he had options. He could sell the condo at a profit, move to a less-expensive area. Several friends and family members  Mr. Mancini (Charlotte, N.C.); a cousin, Jody Doman on the Upper East Side; Steven’s twin, Marc, in Madison, Wis.; their father in Glendale, Calif.  had offered spare rooms and even a garage apartment.

Two friends gave him part-time bookkeeping work when they had it; one put Steven on his employee health insurance.

Image RAW: Scott Schnipper looks at effects of his deceased brother Steven in his chelsea apartment-much had been cleaned out at this point. This is Steven's ID tag from his Estee Lauder days. Credit... Robert Wright for The New York Times

Through the years he had partners, and though that was not so recently, he was hardly alone. “A lot of people cared about Steven,” Scott said. He was famous for never forgetting to send a birthday card. Loving beautiful things, he made elaborate gift lists that he’d review endlessly with his friend Ms. Williams.