Ben Jones, who played Cooter Davenport on ‘The Dukes of Hazzard,’ died Sunday at 84 from a massive heart attack at his home.
His wife, Alma Viator, posted the news to Facebook Sunday.
“I lost the love of my life today. Ben passed from a massive heart attack,” Alma wrote.
She continued with more details about his final moments.
“He was home resting in his favorite chair waiting for the Braves to come on and whoop the Yankees. 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.”
Jones became iconic for his role on the hit CBS show that ran throughout the 1980s.
Between 1979 and 1985, Jones appeared as Cooter Davenport, a local mechanic and friend to the Dukes, in over 140 total episodes.
The character became central to fans’ memories of the show.
He had picked up roles in movies like Smokey and the Bandit and Moonrunners, the latter of which influenced The Dukes of Hazzard.
But Jones’s career eventually took a dramatic turn away from entertainment.
Following his career in entertainment, Jones served two terms (1989-1993) representing Georgia in the U.S. House of Representatives.
After serving as president of SAG’s Georgia Branch and as chairman of the Georgia Film Commission, Jones won the race for Georgia’s Fourth Congressional District in 1988 and was re-elected in 1990.
While on Capitol Hill, Jones was Democratic whip, a member of the Committee on Veteran’s Affairs and a member of the Committee on Public Works and Transportation.
In 1994, he ran against Newt Gingrich in another district and lost.
Jones returned to entertainment and remained active in public life.
Jones and his wife ran Cooter’s Place, a Dukes of Hazzard-themed museum and store with locations in Nashville, Tennessee; Pigeon Forge, Tennessee; and Luray, Virginia.
Jones was known to greet fans and sing at the store with “Cooter’s Garage Band.”
In the viral moment Jones became most widely remembered for beyond the show itself, co-star Tom Wopat was among the first to honor him publicly. Tom Wopat, who starred as Luke Duke in The Dukes of Hazzard, was among the first to honor his late friend, writing: “The Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today. Ben Jones was a fine friend and a fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business.”
Wopat shared his tribute on social media.
“Denver Pyle frequently said to Ben, ‘I’m not your Uncle Jesse!’ But I feel like we lost a Duke cousin today,” Wopat added.
Jones is survived by his wife, Alma Viator, whom he married in 1992, and two children, Rachel and Walker.
Jones died just three weeks before his 85th birthday.