Obituary: Jason Presley was advocate of eco-friendly buildings

Jason Presley, a guru in the movement toward eco-friendly building practices and communities as a partner in a Sacramento development firm, died Monday. He was 36.

He died of complications from an unspecified liver disease, said his wife, Michelle Presley.

Mr. Presley was an early advocate for sustainable communities, including housing made with recycled materials and powered by solar energy. He spread the word as a marketing strategist for LJ Urban, which has 350 units in development, including many in the West Sacramento Riverfront area.

"He had an innate ability to understand what people wanted and what was coming next," company owner Levi Benkert said. "He knew sustainability was a movement before it even existed and would go mainstream."

Articulate and creative, Mr. Presley was an effective messenger for "eco-urban" communities. He widely promoted LJ Urban's projects in the press, fielded inquiries about sustainability from builders nationwide and developed a company Web site that draws more than 18,000 visitors a month, Benkert said.

He was full of energy and enthusiasm, often pacing around his midtown office while brainstorming ideas, colleagues said.

In September, he organized a high-profile event that turned downtown Sacramento parking spots into temporary parks with freshly rolled grass to encourage people to think about making core urban areas into healthy and inviting places to live.

"He had a motto he used to say all the time: 'Life abundant, with abandon!'" his wife said. "He wanted to get everything he could out of life."

Jason Daniel Presley was born in 1971 and grew up in Santa Rosa. He played basketball and graduated from Santa Rosa High School in 1989. He earned a bachelor's degree in English literature and graduated as valedictorian at Pepperdine University in 1994.

He married Michelle Vandenhouten in 1995 and worked as director of sales and marketing at Vintners Inn, a Santa Rosa luxury hotel. He earned a master's degree in education from Azusa Pacific University in 2004.

Mr. Presley was a humble but joyful person, his wife said. He wrote poetry and children's stories, enjoyed baking and always shared homemade scones with co-workers. He loved spending time with his two young daughters, often making up games and riding bicycles with them.

While enrolled at Azusa Pacific, Mr. Presley also worked as a resident director at Pepperdine University. He supervised resident advisers and counseled many students needing help in adjusting to new surroundings or envisioning life goals.

"He excelled at building genuine relationships with students, mentoring them and helping them discover their passions and strengths," Associate Dean Stacy Rothberg said. "He was brilliant at getting people excited about life and the future."

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