8 minute read
IN MEMORIAM
SUSAN JACOBS LOCKHART
BY DEBBIE JARSON
Sometimes life introduces you to someone that impacts your life in a very positive way. That was Susan for me. We came to know her through our work on saving the David and Gladys Wright house in Scottsdale and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy. A lovely friendship grew from there.
Susan was a person committed to promoting Organic Architecture and who dedicated herself to living, enriching, and preserving the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright. Her history in the Fellowship is a virtual lifetime joining the Fellowship in 1957 where she became an active part of life at Taliesin. She and her second husband Ken Lockhart built one of the finest structures on the grounds where she lived until she left in 2003.
At a mere age of 3 years old, Susan became acquainted with Frank Lloyd Wright when her parents first approached him to build their home, Usonia No. 1 also known as Jacobs House 1 now on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The second Jacobs house was equally impressive and considered a precursor of sustainable design. You could say that architecture was part of her overall existence from a young age on.
Susan’s involvement at Taliesin included teaching on the Fellowship’s senior teaching faculty as well as numerous cultural involvements such as directing the bi-annual Taliesin Day Symposium, acting as Program Coordinator for arts and cultural events, pianist for the Taliesin chamber group and lead dancer in the Taliesin festival of Music and Dance. In 1980 she became the senior graphic designer for Taliesin Architects. In addition to all of her work within Taliesin, her reach to bring Taliesin to the world was extensive. This included an impressive range of design for the Arizona Biltmore Hotel as well as porcelain and stoneware settings for Edith Heath and Tampopo.
In 2003, after 45 years of life at Taliesin West in Arizona and Taliesin in Spring Green Wisconsin Susan left the Fellowship to join her new husband Neil Levine, an architecture scholar as well, and forge a fabulous life together in Paris and Cambridge, MA.
Our friendship with Susan and Neil was a source of delightful companionship, learning and discovery, something I am certain was simply part of Susan’s DNA. Gracious, elegant and patient, Susan possessed a certain quality that made you feel welcomed and included. When she was with you, she not only readily shared her experiences and knowledge, but listened intently to you as well.
When they say the mold was broken, it certainly was with Susan’s passing. I know of no other more generous, humble, creative forces in the architectural community. We will miss her tremendously, but I am grateful to have her example to follow.
DON HAMMER
BY SCOTT JARSON
It is with a sad and heavy heart that we announce that our beloved Managing Broker, associate, mentor, colleague and dear friend, Don Hammer, passed away this summer a few days shy of his birthday celebration. Don was at place of comfort, surrounded with care; his transition was swift and encircled by love.
When we had the opportunity to include Don in our company family, we were overjoyed at the possibility to have his expertise and wisdom available for all of us. Selfishly, Debbie and I were just so pleased that we could spend more time with him. Debbie and I have known both Don and his Jane for well over thirty years. To say that Don was a true Gentlemen is spot on but is not enough.
Meeting Don was an instruction for anyone in just “how to be”. When Debbie and I were new in real estate, and we shared a room with Don, we were in awe at the force he exuded. In observing the nature of this man, the quiet accomplished sense of self he displayed, with no need for display of ego: we both knew that this was a person to emulate, not just in our career, but personally as well.
At any meeting, we all would cherish Don at the table. The admiration and attention that even our youngest agents held for Don was astounding. Like me, they all hung on his word; and his inclusive and generous nature made them all acolytes! To this day it warms our hearts to think of how he connected with everyone at the firm. They intuitively knew that Don was a very special man.
We knew him as a man of beautiful demeanor, brilliant, inquisitive and with a sharp mind. Professional, strong and steady in business, but always calm and fair. Don held all the attributes of a Renaissance Man.
I will remember him always for living well because, well frankly, I lived vicariously through his many achievements. Business success, aviation skills that included jets and a small private squadron…and so much more. Best hair in the business, always a damn cool car too… Who would not want to be Don Hammer?
Don joined us at the brokerage and from day one we connected again with ease. We will always remain grateful for his contributions that were many indeed. We will always remember him most for his kind, patient, gentle and humanist approach to life.
Many cultures hold the belief that when one leaves us, as long as they are held in remembrance and in name, they live on. Given the thousands of lives that Don touched so profoundly, he will be with us for a long, long time. Farewell Don, and thank you.
A SIGN FOR OUR TIMES…INTRODUCING BECON POST!
Have you noticed that in the last thirty-plus years, Real Estate posts and signs have not changed much? Typically, you see splintered old 4x4 wood posts with slap-dash paint, or landfill busting PVC tubes cluttering the “for sale” landscape. Not to mention damaged signs, wind-mangled or warped by our harsh sun, or just blown off into the roadways and washes.
We thought it was time for something new, bold, elegant, efficient and yes, eco-sensitive too. So along with our strategic design partners we decided it was time for a refresh. Together we brainstormed an entire new system and process!
We are pleased and proud to announce that as part of a subsidiary, Becon Post LLC, we have been awarded Design and Utility Patents for our modular signage system. We could not be more thrilled!
We wanted something more for the very special properties we represent. These last three years our firm has been partnered with our friends and partners at Juggernaut Design, to create a new complete signage system for Real Estate and more. After a series of prototyping and field testing, you’ll now see our system exclusively used in Arizona by azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson Real Estate. We love the clean informational graphics that are configurable to visually highlight the best features of the homes we represent, but the QR code panel can be customized for each and every home thanks to a subscription based QR image generator. The posts are designed to accommodate a proximity transmitter that can broadcast details of the home to people passing by the sign as well.
As designed, the system is 99% recyclable and all prototypes were made in the USA! Materials are simple; aluminum and steel. The sign panels are wrapped in vinyl so they have a very long shelf life, and are reconfigurable and reusable. The Patent extends to our custom installation tool as well.
Installation in normal soil takes under five minutes from stake to sign. To hang the panels no hooks, clips or connectors are needed. The panels are crisp and stable. In all of our testing, which included the Arizona Monsoon storms and high winds, the panels never bent or dislocated. The post is designed to modestly rotate in storm conditions; a little turn and it’s back to normal in seconds.
When you see our new sign around town, send us your picture with it! Share your feedback. We think you’ll love it as much as we do!
KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE
azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson is the only Real Estate firm in Arizona that specializes in the sales and marketing of Architecturally Unique Homes.©
Since 1990, Scott & Debbie Jarson, have stood by their original mission to celebrate and honor design & architecture. They remain devoted to adding value to architect-designed properties and are committed to celebrating, encouraging and promoting good design.
Over many years, azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson have been defining desert living by searching out homes, from modern to historic, that add enjoyment and harmony to our clients’ lives. A keen aesthetic sense and a deep appreciation for the Valley’s rare and diverse architecture define their commitment to marketing unique properties like no other firm. azarchitecture/Jarson & Jarson remains deeply committed to historic preservation and are proud EcoBroker® Affiliates.
Whether you are buying, selling, or are just an enthusiast of architecture, remember to contact azarchitecture/ Jarson & Jarson — the Valley’s true expert in Architecturally Unique Homes.©
azarchitecture.com 480.425.9300
3707 N. Marshall Way #5 | Scottsdale, AZ 85251
