to summarize Jones simply as “Cooter from *The Dukes of Hazzard*.”
But doing so overlooks the remarkable range of his life.
He was an actor who found national fame in one of television’s most recognizable series.
He was a politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He was a writer and public speaker.
He was a businessman who built attractions around the character that made him famous.
And he was a husband, father, grandfather and friend whose life extended far beyond the entertainment industry.
Few performers can claim such a dramatic career change.
Even fewer manage to return to their best-known character decades later and turn that connection into an enduring relationship with fans.
## A Lasting Place in Television History
Ben Jones’ death closes a remarkable chapter in the story of *The Dukes of Hazzard*.
The
