Gene Hackman and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, led a peaceful and private life filled with adventure, art, and genuine love. Their unexpected deaths have left a profound impact on their friends, who fondly recall the couple's rich life together. Found dead on Wednesday in their New Mexico home, the couple had chosen a secluded area in the mountains just outside Santa Fe, where they built their home atop 12 acres of land.
Longtime friends Daniel and Barbara Lenihan shared insights into the couple's lifestyle. Barbara mentioned to CNN, "They were very private, and we certainly respected that." Betsy Arakawa was known to be less inclined to use cell phones, preferring to communicate through email. “They were really by themselves, which is the way they wanted it,” she added.
The friendship between the Lenihans and Hackman and Arakawa began over 30 years ago during a visit to Santa Fe. The couples first met at a diving shop, where Hackman was captivated by a drawing of the USS Arizona and Pearl Harbor that Daniel had created. This encounter led to a lunch together, and as Barbara put it, “it was history from there.”
Betsy Arakawa and Barbara Lenihan co-founded Pandora’s, a home decor and furnishing store in Santa Fe that features fabrics from around the world and the work of local artisans. The idea for the store sparked after Hackman returned from filming in Central Europe in 2001, bringing back beautiful linen pillows. Barbara shared that she had last seen Betsy three weeks prior at Pandora’s, noting that the couple rarely ventured into town.
“They were very, fairly isolated,” Barbara explained, adding that their home was surrounded by woods, making it common not to hear from them. She described Betsy as a wonderful wife who took excellent care of Hackman, who had undergone a triple bypass at around age 60 but had remained in good health since. “He had been riding his bicycle until a year ago, and Betsy had him doing yoga and other activities at home,” Barbara noted.
The Santa Fe community is in mourning following the discovery of the couple's bodies, which were found in separate rooms of their home. The circumstances surrounding their deaths are deemed “suspicious enough” to prompt a thorough investigation. The couple’s bodies were discovered with scattered pills near Arakawa, and data from Hackman’s pacemaker indicates he likely died nine days before they were found.
Gene Hackman, 95, was a celebrated Oscar-winning actor known for iconic films such as The French Connection, Hoosiers, Unforgiven, and The Firm. Betsy Arakawa, who was three decades younger than her husband, was a talented classical pianist. Preliminary autopsies have shown no external trauma or immediate signs of foul play, while authorities confirmed there were no indications of a carbon monoxide or natural gas leak.
Living in a gated community with picturesque views, Hackman and Arakawa were well-liked in Santa Fe. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham expressed condolences, stating that Hackman was a treasured resident who lived in the community as a low-key and friendly neighbor. “We were all proud to call him our neighbor,” she remarked.
Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the couple's humility and their warm connection with the community. “These are two people who have huge, huge talent, gifts, global reputations, and yet here in Santa Fe they’re just down-to-earth people,” he said.
Gene Hackman was deeply involved in the arts community, often participating in local events and generously donating his artwork for auctions. Friends recall that he was more interested in others than in sharing his own celebrity status. One friend, Stuart Ashman, reminisced about their friendship, noting how Hackman's down-to-earth demeanor made him approachable and relatable.
The Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe expressed its sadness over the couple's passing, highlighting Hackman's contributions as a Trustee and his commitment to the arts. He played a vital role in shaping the museum's early years and was the narrator for the film “Georgia O’Keeffe: A Life in Art.”
In a previous interview with GQ, Hackman expressed his desire to be remembered as “a decent actor” who portrayed his roles honestly. He simply wanted to be known as someone who “tried.” As the community continues to mourn the loss of Gene Hackman and Betsy Arakawa, their legacy of love, friendship, and artistic passion will undoubtedly live on in the hearts of those who knew them.
