For Treat Williams, a small town in Vermont held far more appeal than the glitz of Hollywood.
The actor, whodied on Monday at age 71 following a motorcycle accident, lived a quiet life with his wife, actress Pam Van Sant, and two kids, Gill and Ellie, on a farm in the town of Manchester, a picturesque New England enclave, population: 4,528.
TheEverwoodstar spoke toVermont Magazinein 2021 about his love for the Green Mountain state, and described how he came to reside in his small town.
“I’ve been a skier all my life. We would come and ski in Vermont as a family when I was growing up, and we would stay at a place in [the town of] Peru when I was five years old called the Russell Inn,” he recalled. “It’s across the street from a wonderfully renovated general store up there. I have extraordinarily happy memories of Christmas vacations up here in Vermont.”
Cindy Ord/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival; Treat Williams/Instagram
Williams' father would later buy a house in the town of Weston that became a regular getaway for Treat. “I just fell in love with Vermont, and I fell equally in love with Weston,” he went on. “My wife Pam and I used my parents’ house in Weston while we were courting. We started skiing together up here.”
Treat Williams/Instagram
The Broadway star said he’d always had “an enormous love” for Vermont – even in the notorious long and brutal winter.
“There was something incredibly special about it to me, and the people here are incredibly honest, real, and good-humored,” he said. “There’s also always something new to discover somewhere on a dirt road that you’ve never traveled on before.”
Williams said he always woke up feeling thankful for life in the countryside. “Every day I wake up so grateful to see the view that I see out of my window and to be living up here. I think very few people are lucky as I am to say, ‘I love where I live,’” he shared. “I don’t have any fantasies of being somewhere else.”
“I have everything I want and need in Vermont,” he added. “I’ve been all over the world, and I’ve never seen a place as beautiful as Vermont.”
Williams' Instagram account is also an ode to his beloved home state, as he frequently posted pictures of his gorgeous property, the scenic vistas and the small businesses he enjoyed. Just one day before he died, he shared a video and a photo of some work going on at the farm with his white farmhouse in the distance. He captioned the photo, “There is no better smell than new mown hay.”
The town of Manchester, Vermont.Eric Andersson
Eric Andersson
The town of Manchester is known as a charming all-seasons destination with a bookstore, many restaurants and small shops. The residents are a mix of lifelong locals and city-dwelling weekend visitors, who come for the skiing and the slower pace of life. It’s even been known to draw celebrities, like Alec Baldwin, who owns a home in the area.
Treat Williams at home in Manchester, Vermont.Treat Williams/Instagram
With more than 120 credits to his name, Williams' career spanned four decades. He made his film debut in 1975 in the thrillerDeadly Hero. From there, he began to take on more film roles, including 1979’sHair, whichearned him his first Golden Globe nominationfor new star of the year — actor. He later earned another Golden Globe nom for best actor in a motion picture drama for his role in 1981’sPrince of the City.
Other credits of his include Steven Spielberg’s1941, Heart of Dixie, Blue Bloods, The Late Shift, Chicago Fire, Chesapeake Shores,Hallmark’sThe Christmas House, and Netflix’sDolly Parton’s Christmas on the SquareandThe Noel Diary.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“He was killed this afternoon. He was making a left or a right [and] a car cut him off,” McPherson says. “I’m just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented.”
source: people.com
