‘Dukes of Hazzard’ Star, Former US Congressman Passes Away

Studying Time: 2 minutes

We have now unhappy information to report from the world of tv.

Ben Jones, the actor greatest identified for taking part in beloved mechanic Cooter Davenport on The Dukes of Hazzard, has died.

He was 84 years previous.

American actor, and politician Ben Jones, wearing a brown leather waistcoat over a blue shirt with rolled-up sleeves and jeans, beside a woman who wears a white-fringed black top, jeans and sunglasses, and American actor and singer John Schneider, in an unbuttoned pale yellow shirt over a blue t-shirt with stonewashed jeans, all three sitting on the General Lee, United States, January 1981. — American actor and politician Ben Jones and American actor and singer John Schneider sitting on the Basic Lee, United States, January 1981. (Photograph by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Photos)

Jones died Sunday, August 9, at his residence in Washington, Virginia, following a large coronary heart assault, in response to his spouse, Alma Viator.

Viator shared the heartbreaking information on Fb, remembering her husband as somebody who lived a full and significant life.

“I misplaced the love of my life immediately. Ben handed from a large coronary heart assault,” she wrote.

Jones was at residence in his favourite chair when he died, Viator revealed, ready for the Atlanta Braves to tackle the New York Yankees.

“Ben had probably the most wonderful, wealthy, full life,” she added. “He liked and was liked by so many. He will probably be missed. I liked him so a lot.”

For tens of millions of tv viewers, Jones will ceaselessly be related to Cooter, the good-natured mechanic and pal of the Duke household.

The CBS sequence ran from 1979 by way of 1985, with Jones showing all through its unique seven-season run. He additionally reprised the character in later Dukes of Hazzard reunion tasks.

Cooter was the proprietor of the native storage and tow truck in Hazzard County, making him an essential ally to Bo and Luke Duke at any time when the cousins discovered themselves in bother.

Jones as soon as defined the character’s enchantment by noting that Cooter was all the time working as a result of he operated the one storage and tow truck on the town.

“He had the one storage and the one tow truck in a spot the place all they did was wreck vehicles,” Jones stated in a 2008 interview. “Each time you noticed him, he was working, and folks can relate to that.”

However Jones’ profession prolonged far past Hollywood.

After The Dukes of Hazzard, he was elected to the U.S. Home of Representatives from Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District in 1988. He was reelected in 1990 and served as a Democrat.

Throughout his time in Congress, Jones served as Democratic whip and labored on the Home Veterans’ Affairs and Public Works and Transportation committees. He later ran in opposition to Newt Gingrich in 1994 however misplaced.

Jones finally returned to his Dukes of Hazzard roots.

He opened museums devoted to the sequence in Virginia and helped launch DukesFest, an annual celebration that introduced collectively followers of the basic present.

His dying has prompted an outpouring of affection from followers, buddies, and former castmates.

Tom Wopat, who performed Luke Duke, paid tribute to Jones on social media.

“The Dukes of Hazzard misplaced one other integral a part of their forged immediately,” Wopat wrote, describing Jones as “a wonderful pal” and “a fierce advocate of all the most effective issues we are able to supply within the leisure enterprise.”

“He will probably be sorely missed,” Wopat continued. “However I really feel like we misplaced a Duke cousin immediately.”

Jones is survived by his spouse, Alma, and his two kids, Rachel and Walker. Our condolences exit to his family members throughout this enormously troublesome time.