{"id":256650,"date":"2026-08-10T12:37:24","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T12:37:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/10\/ben-jones-cause-of-death-dukes-of-hazzard-star-former-us-congressman-passes-away\/"},"modified":"2026-08-10T12:37:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T12:37:24","slug":"ben-jones-cause-of-death-dukes-of-hazzard-star-former-us-congressman-passes-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/10\/ben-jones-cause-of-death-dukes-of-hazzard-star-former-us-congressman-passes-away\/","title":{"rendered":"Ben Jones Cause of Death: &#8216;Dukes of Hazzard&#8217; Star, Former US Congressman Passes Away"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<p><span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 2<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>We have sad news to report from the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/08\/vincent-pastore-cause-of-death-revealed-as-fellow-sopranos-stars-pay-tribute\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">world of television<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Ben Jones, the actor best known for playing beloved mechanic Cooter Davenport on <em>The Dukes of Hazzard<\/em>, has died. <\/p>\n<p>He was 84 years old.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><noscript><\/noscript><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"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. \" class=\"wp-image-560707 lazyload\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-768x511.jpg 768w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-960x639.jpg 960w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-1080x719.jpg 1080w, https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-1200x799.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 760px) calc(100vw - 20px), 720px\" data-pin-media=\"https:\/\/cdn.thehollywoodgossip.com\/uploads\/2026\/08\/GettyImages-2184386888-scaled.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">American actor and politician Ben Jones and American actor and singer John Schneider sitting on the General Lee, United States, January 1981. <span class=\"image-caption-credit\"> (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives\/Getty Images)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Jones died Sunday, August 9, at his home in Washington, Virginia, following a massive heart attack, according to his wife, Alma Viator.<\/p>\n<p>Viator shared the heartbreaking news <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/photo?fbid=10164904834969802&amp;set=a.10151583078464802\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">on Facebook<\/a>, remembering her husband as someone who lived a full and meaningful life.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI lost the love of my life today. Ben passed from a massive heart attack,\u201d she wrote.<\/p>\n<p>Jones was at home in his favorite chair when he died, Viator revealed, waiting for the Atlanta Braves to take on the New York Yankees.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBen had the most amazing, rich, full life,\u201d she added. \u201cHe loved and was loved by so many. He will be missed. I loved him so so much.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/Db1Ygw7AozZ\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);\"\/>\n<p>For millions of television viewers, Jones will forever be associated with Cooter, the good-natured mechanic and friend of the Duke family.<\/p>\n<p>The CBS series ran from 1979 through 1985, with Jones appearing throughout its original seven-season run. He also reprised the character in later <em>Dukes of Hazzard<\/em> reunion projects.<\/p>\n<p>Cooter was the owner of the local garage and tow truck in Hazzard County, making him an important ally to Bo and Luke Duke whenever the cousins found themselves in trouble.<\/p>\n<p>Jones once explained the character\u2019s appeal by noting that Cooter was always working because he operated the only garage and tow truck in town.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe had the only garage and the only tow truck in a place where all they did was wreck cars,\u201d Jones said in a 2008 interview. \u201cEvery time you saw him, he was working, and people can relate to that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But Jones\u2019 career extended far beyond Hollywood.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"thg-ytf\" data-ytid=\"mMtD8boV6vQ\"><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/mMtD8boV6vQ\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Ben Jones Cause of Death, Dukes of Hazzard actor and Congressman, Dies at 84\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\"\/><\/noscript><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i.ytimg.com\/vi\/mMtD8boV6vQ\/hqdefault.jpg\" alt=\"Ben Jones Cause of Death, Dukes of Hazzard actor and Congressman, Dies at 84\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"480\" height=\"360\" class=\"lazyload\" data-trellis-processed=\"1\"\/><button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Play video: Ben Jones Cause of Death, Dukes of Hazzard actor and Congressman, Dies at 84\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 68 48\" width=\"68\" height=\"48\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M66.5 7.7a8 8 0 0 0-5.6-5.7C56 .7 34 .7 34 .7s-22 0-26.9 1.3A8 8 0 0 0 1.5 7.7 83 83 0 0 0 .2 24a83 83 0 0 0 1.3 16.3 8 8 0 0 0 5.6 5.7C12 47.3 34 47.3 34 47.3s22 0 26.9-1.3a8 8 0 0 0 5.6-5.7A83 83 0 0 0 67.8 24a83 83 0 0 0-1.3-16.3z\" fill=\"#f00\"\/><path d=\"M27 34l18-10-18-10z\" fill=\"#fff\"\/><\/svg><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>After <em>The Dukes of Hazzard<\/em>, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia\u2019s Fourth Congressional District in 1988. He was reelected in 1990 and served as a Democrat.<\/p>\n<p>During his time in Congress, Jones served as Democratic whip and worked on the House Veterans\u2019 Affairs and Public Works and Transportation committees. He later ran against Newt Gingrich in 1994 but lost.<\/p>\n<p>Jones eventually returned to his Dukes of Hazzard roots.<\/p>\n<p>He opened museums dedicated to the series in Virginia and helped launch DukesFest, an annual celebration that brought together fans of the classic show.<\/p>\n<p>His death has prompted an outpouring of affection from fans, friends, and former castmates.<\/p>\n<p>Tom Wopat, who played Luke Duke, paid tribute to Jones on social media.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Dukes of Hazzard lost another integral part of their cast today,\u201d Wopat wrote, describing Jones as \u201ca fine friend\u201d and \u201ca fierce advocate of all the best things we can offer in the entertainment business.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe will be sorely missed,\u201d Wopat continued. \u201cBut I feel like we lost a Duke cousin today.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Jones is survived by his wife, Alma, and his two children, Rachel and Walker. Our condolences go out to his loved ones during this enormously difficult time.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script async defer src=\"https:\/\/platform.instagram.com\/en_US\/embeds.js\"><\/script><br \/>\n<br \/><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thehollywoodgossip.com\/2026\/08\/ben-jones-cause-of-death-dukes-of-hazzard-star-former-us-congressman-passes-away\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Reading Time: 2 minutes We have sad news to report from the world of television. Ben Jones, the actor best known for playing beloved mechanic Cooter Davenport on The Dukes of Hazzard, has died. He was 84 years old. American actor and politician Ben Jones and American actor and singer John Schneider sitting on the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":256651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-256650","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-hollywood"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256650","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=256650"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/256650\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/256651"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=256650"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=256650"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=256650"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}