TRENTON, NJ (AP) – Richard “Dick” Codey, a former acting governor of New Jersey and the longest-serving lawmaker in state history, died Sunday. He was 79 years old.
Codey’s wife, Mary Jo Codey, confirmed her husband’s death to The Associated Press.
“Governor Richard J. Codey passed away peacefully this morning at home, surrounded by family, after a brief illness,” Codey’s family wrote in a Facebook post on Codey’s official page.
“Our family has lost a beloved husband, father and grandfather — and New Jersey has lost a remarkable public servant who touched the lives of all who knew him,” the family said.
Known for his down-to-earth, down-to-earth persona, Codey was a strong advocate for mental health awareness and care issues. The Democrat also supported legislation to ban smoking from indoor areas and sought more money for stem cell research.
Codey, the son of a funeral home owner in northern New Jersey, entered the state Assembly in 1974 and served there until he was elected to the state Senate in 1982. He served as President of the Senate from 2002 to 2010.
Codey first served as acting governor for a short time in 2002, following the resignation of Christine Todd Whitman to join the administration of President George W. Bush. He again held office for 14 months after Governor Jim McGreevey resigned in 2004.
At that time, the law of New Jersey ordered that the president of the Senate assumes the role of the governor if there is a vacancy, and that person serves until the next election.
Codey regularly drew strong praise from residents in the polls, and gave serious consideration to seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2005. But he ultimately chose not to run when party leaders chose to back wealthy Wall Street executive Jon Corzine, who went on to win office.
Codey becomes acting governor again after Corzine was incapacitated in April 2007 due to serious injuries sustained in a car accident. He held the post for almost a month before Corzine resumed his duties.
After leaving the governor’s office, Codey returned to the Senate and also published a memoir detailing his decades of public service, along with stories about his personal and family life.
“He lived his life with humility, compassion and a deep sense of responsibility towards others,” his family wrote. “He made friends with the Presidents as easily as he made with strangers all night.”
Codey and his wife often spoke candidly about her past struggles with postpartum depression, which led to controversy in early 2005, when a radio host jokingly criticized Mary Jo and her mental health on air.
Codey, who was at the radio station for something else, confronted the host and said he told him he wished he could take it out. But the host claimed that Codey actually threatened to “walk out,” which Codey denied.
His wife told the Associated Press that Codey was willing to support her speaking out about postpartum depression, even if it cost him elected office.
“He was a really, really good guy,” Mary Jo Codey said. “He said, ‘If you want to do it, I don’t care if I get re-elected.'”
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Jack Brook contributed reporting from New Orleans.