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James Earl Jones never planned to settle in Pawling, N.Y., where he lived for 50 years and passed away this week.
The celebrated actor, who died at age 93 on Monday, August 9, at his home in the quaint town about 70 miles north of New York City, was confirmed dead by his agent to PEOPLE.
Originally from Arkabutla, Miss., Jones moved to Pawling in the 1970s after a serendipitous visit with a friend. According to a 2012 profile in the Poughkeepsie Journal, Jones first visited the area when a friend from New Jersey, searching for a larger home, invited him on a road trip upstate.
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The friend ultimately decided not to purchase the land he was considering, but Jones did.
“I liked it,” Jones told the outlet at the time, admiring the “big trees… they were big enough to hug.”
Jones established his home in Pawling, where he would reside for the next 50 years until his passing. (He also owned a residence in Los Angeles, according to the New York Times.) During his time in Pawling, he raised his son, Flynn, and gradually expanded his property holdings, acquiring adjoining lots over the years. By the end, he had accumulated 10 parcels.
Records obtained by Realtor.com show some of his notable purchases: a property for $16,500 in 1993; two more in 1994 for $108,000 and $177,500; and another for $320,000 in 2000.
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But James Earl Jones's contributions extended beyond real estate; he was also deeply committed to the small community of just under 2,000 residents.
The Journal highlights his involvement in local causes, including fundraising for his son’s alma mater, Poughkeepsie Day School, and participation in the Young Playwrights Festival at Bardavon 1869 Opera House.
A former Dutchess County official who knew Jones fondly shared his reflections in an obituary on midhudsonnews.com. “Yes, he was a celebrity, but he was the most genuine person you would ever want to meet. There was nothing phony about the man,” said Pawling native Dave Gamache. “He loved Pawling, he truly loved Pawling, and he loved the people. He was active in the community.”
Despite his fame, Gamache emphasized that Jones was “just as nice and wonderful and kind a person as he was at the top of his profession.”
James Earl Jones is renowned for his iconic roles as Darth Vader in the Star Wars films and Mufasa in The Lion King. In recent years, he appeared in notable stage productions including On Golden Pond, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Much Ado About Nothing, where he starred alongside Vanessa Redgrave. In 2012, Jones received his fourth Tony nomination for his performance in The Best Man.
Throughout his illustrious career, his passion for storytelling remained unwavering.
“I’d like to play anything that gives me a chance to learn about people who are truly different from me,” he once shared with PEOPLE. “I want to express as much as I can about how I feel about myself — not just my Black self or my American self, but my true self.”