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Ben Jones<\/strong>, the actor best known for playing Cooter Davenport<\/strong> on The Dukes of Hazzard<\/em>, has died. He was 84.<\/p>\n Jones appeared in all seven seasons of the beloved series as Cooter, the good-natured mechanic who became an honorary member of the Duke family and a trusted friend to Bo and Luke.<\/p>\n His wife, Alma Viator<\/strong>, announced his death<\/a> on social media, revealing that Jones suffered a heart attack while at home.<\/p>\n She said he was<\/a> “home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees.” Jones died just three weeks before his 85th birthday.<\/p>\n While Jones will always be closely associated with Cooter, The Dukes of Hazzard<\/em><\/strong> was just one part of a long career.<\/p>\n He also appeared in the Burt Reynolds classic Smokey and the Bandit,<\/em> as well as As the World Turns<\/em>, along with numerous other television, movie and theater productions.<\/p>\n After the series ended<\/a>, Jones took his career in a very different direction. He entered politics and served two terms in the United States Congress, representing Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District.<\/p>\n Read More:\u00a0<\/b><\/em>This Is What the Cast of ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ Look Like Today<\/a><\/p>\n Jones eventually returned to acting while remaining active in political commentary.<\/p>\n Following news of Jones’ death, tributes began to appear from those who knew and worked alongside him.<\/p>\n Tom Wopat<\/strong>, who played Luke Duke alongside John Schneider’s Bo Duke, was among the first to honor his longtime friend and castmate.<\/p>\n “The Dukes of Hazzard<\/em> lost another integral part of their cast today,” Wopat wrote. “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.”<\/p>\n For Dukes of Hazzard fans, Jones will forever be remembered as Cooter\u2014the mechanic behind the wheel, under the hood and always in the Duke family’s corner.<\/p>\n So far in 2026, country fans have mourned the deaths of country legends and other large-looming figures of pop culture. Keep reading to remember the singers, musicians, actors and other notable figures we’ve lost this year.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Carena Liptak<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nMore Than Cooter on The Dukes of Hazzard<\/em><\/h3>\n
Tom Wopat Remembers His ‘Dukes’ Friend<\/h3>\n
Remembering the Country Stars Who Died in 2026<\/h2>\n