Ben Jones Remembered: From Cooter Davenport to a Life in Television, Politics and Public Service

With tremendous sadness, fans and admirers are remembering Ben Jones, the actor best known around the world for playing the lovable mechanic Cooter Davenport on *The Dukes of Hazzard*, following news of his death at the age of 84.

Jones died on August 9, 2026, at his home in Washington, Virginia, after suffering a heart attack, according to reports citing his wife, Alma Viator.

His passing closes a remarkable chapter in American entertainment and public life.

For millions of television viewers, Ben Jones will forever be associated with Cooter Davenport, the friendly and occasionally mischievous mechanic who became one of the most recognizable supporting characters on *The Dukes of Hazzard*. With his workshop serving as an important gathering place for the Duke family and the people of Hazzard County, Cooter was more than simply a mechanic. He was a trusted friend, a source of humor, and a dependable ally whenever trouble arrived.

But the man who played Cooter had a life that reached far beyond television.

Jones eventually stepped away from the fictional roads of Hazzard County and entered the very real world of American politics. He became a two-term Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia, taking a path that few television actors could have predicted when they first became famous.