Dear Ms. Umble and Mr. Hong,
Please accept my condolences on the passing of your beloved mother and wife. I never got to meet Sheila in person but she was extraordinarily kind and generous to me in her many emails over the years, which meant the world to me coming from a critic of her stature. She was tirelessly supportive even before I began working at the L.A. Times a few years ago, and I’m still humbled to be at the paper where she wrote about movies so brilliantly and memorably.
I know I am not alone in having been encouraged and inspired by Sheila’s amazing work and collegial spirit over the years. And on behalf of her many friends in the National Society of Film Critics and the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, please know that so many of us are thinking fondly of her now and always, and also of you and her entire family. Love and blessings to you all.
Sincerely,
Justin Chang
Sheila Benson 