Ben Jones, the man known as both Cooter from “The Dukes of Hazzard” television series and a former U.S. congressman from Georgia, died Sunday.
He was 84.
Jones died after a heart attack in his home in Virginia, his wife, Alma Viator, said on Facebook.
“I lost the love of my life today. Ben passed from a massive heart attack,” Viator wrote in her post Sunday evening. “He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees.”
Viator said, “Ben had the most amazing rich full life. He loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so so much.”
Tom Wopat, one of Jones’ “The Dukes of Hazzard” co-stars, also shared the news in a post on Instagram.
“The Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today,” Wopat said. “Ben Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business. He will be sorely missed…”
Jones was cast in “The Dukes of Hazzard” in the late 1970s and remained a main cast member until the show’s conclusion in 1985.
Shortly after, he launched a run for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1985 as a Democrat, challenging Republican Pat Swindall, who narrowly won the election in 1986.
The pair faced off again for Georgia’s 4th Congressional District in 1988. This time, Jones was victorious after Swindall was indicted on charges of perjury.
Jones won again in 1990 and served in that seat for two terms. His seat was redrawn, and he lost the 1994 election to Newt Gingrich.
After his stint in Congress, Jones returned to the screen, appearing in a number of “The Dukes of Hazzard” reunion shows and other specials. He also had roles in “Primary Colors” in 1998 and “Joe Gould’s Secret” in 2000.
In 1999, Jones and Viator moved to Virginia, where they opened Cooter’s, a museum and shop dedicated to “The Dukes of Hazzard.”
In 2007, Jones released his memoir, “Redneck Boy in the Promised Land,” in which he discussed his struggles with alcoholism.
In 2015, he made headlines when he announced his support for the Confederate flag, which served as a symbol on the main car in “The Dukes of Hazzard,” after Warner Bros. said it would no longer manufacture merchandise featuring the flag symbol. At the time, he penned an essay in The New York Times defending his position.
