Dear Friends:

It is with deep sorrow that we share with you the passing of our dear friend and new urban champion, Jackie Benson.

Jackie passed on Thursday, March 8, 2018, following a week's stay in the hospital for a sudden illness.  Her children and close friends surrounded her with love and support during her hospitalization.

For those of you fortunate enough to have known Jackie, you'll remember her as a pioneer of new urbanism; someone who immediately grasped the important issues, challenges and rewards of developing walkable, sustainable places of enduring value; and who always had a warm smile and an encouraging word for those who wanted to learn more. She was a leader, a teacher, a friend, and a tireless advocate.

For those who did not know Jackie, please take a moment to thank her silently for her many contributions over the decades. Jackie was a trailblazer. She paved the way for marketing and selling new urbanism at Seaside and Rosemary Beach in the early days and never stopped. She was "green" before green became a movement. She was a match maker of people -- striving to assemble people who could work collectively to achieve great things. She was imaginative -- always thinking ahead about how to solve a problem or stimulate thinking to achieve a better end.

New urbanism was her profession, her passion. She believed New Urbanism could deliver the structures that supported civility and connection, and give people the dignity of belonging. She was a founding member of the National Town Builders Association, a former Board member of the Seaside Institute, and a valued member of CNU and CNU Atlanta where she served on CNU's 10th Congress host committee.  

She was warm. She was smart and funny. She was a straight shooter. And she will be missed. Dearly missed.


A tribute to Jackie will be planned for the near future. In the meantime, please visit the National Town Builders' Facebook Page, become a friend, and leave a kind memory in Jackie's honor.

Sincerely,

The National Town Builders Association
https://www.facebook.com/NationalTownBuildersAssociation/