# Mary Jo Codey

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{{Short description|American healthcare activist and First Lady of New Jersey}}
{{BLP sources|date=December 2017}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Mary Jo Codey
| image = Maryjocodey.jpg
| image_upright = 0.9
| caption = Codey in 2007
| office = [First Lady of New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey)
| governor = [Richard Codey](/source/Richard_Codey)
| term_label = In role
| term_start = November 15, 2004
| term_end = January 17, 2006
| predecessor = [Dina Matos](/source/Dina_Matos)
| successor = [Mary Pat Christie](/source/Mary_Pat_Christie) {{small|(2010)}}
| term_label2 = Acted in role
| term_start2 = January 12, 2002
| term_end2 = January 15, 2002
| predecessor2 = Peg Bennett
| successor2 = Dina Matos
| birth_name = Mary Jo Rolli
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|8|14}}
| birth_place = [Glen Ridge](/source/Glen_Ridge%2C_New_Jersey), New Jersey, U.S.
| spouse = {{marriage|[Richard Codey](/source/Richard_Codey)|1981|2026|end=died}}
| occupation = Teacher
}}

'''Mary Jo Codey''' (née '''Rolli'''; born August 14, 1955) is an American healthcare activist and former [First Lady](/source/First_Lady) of [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey). She served her tenure as First Lady while her husband, [Governor](/source/Governor_of_New_Jersey) [Richard Codey](/source/Richard_Codey), served from November 16, 2004 to January 17, 2006.

==Early life==
Codey was born '''Mary Jo Rolli''' in [Glen Ridge](/source/Glen_Ridge%2C_New_Jersey), New Jersey, she grew up in [West Orange](/source/West_Orange%2C_New_Jersey). She attended [Caldwell College](/source/Caldwell_College), where she received a [Bachelor of Arts](/source/Bachelor_of_Arts) degree in elementary education. She then earned a [Master of Arts](/source/Master_of_Arts_(postgraduate)) degree in elementary education, with certification as a Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant (LDTC), from [Seton Hall University](/source/Seton_Hall_University).<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20060501235124/http://www.state.nj.us/firstlady/about.html About Mary Jo Codey], State of [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey), copy of page from [Internet Archive](/source/Internet_Archive) dated May 1, 2006. Accessed December 5, 2007.</ref>

==Career==
Codey became First Lady upon her husband's succession to the governors office, after former Governor [Jim McGreevey](/source/Jim_McGreevey) resigned. She continued teaching school part time during her service. As First Lady, she was known for her work in [mental health](/source/mental_health), [postpartum depression](/source/postpartum_depression) and [breast cancer](/source/breast_cancer).

==Personal life==
She married [Richard Codey](/source/Richard_Codey) in 1981.<ref>[http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/postpartumdepression/ppd_faces_mary.shtml "Meet Mary Jo Codey"].</ref>

She suffered from postpartum depression following the birth of her oldest son. She said she did not get over it until a year after her son's birth. She controlled the illness with medication, which she stopped using during her second pregnancy. To combat the depression during her pregnancy she underwent [electroshock therapy](/source/electroshock_therapy). She received electroshock again while suffering from breast cancer.

Codey and her family live in [Roseland, New Jersey](/source/Roseland%2C_New_Jersey) and she currently teaches at a private elementary school. She has said that while she enjoyed the opportunity to be First Lady and to advocate for causes she believed in, she was looking forward to her husband leaving office in order to return to being a private citizen.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070927110306/http://postpartumprogress.typepad.com/weblog/2005/02/mary_jo_codeys_.html Postpartum Progress: Mary Jo Codey's Story]
*[http://www.ikeepsafe.com/iksc_statemessage/state.php?abbr=NJ iKeepSafe.com - Photo of & Message by Mary Jo Codey]

{{s-start}}
{{succession box|title=[Acting First Lady of New Jersey](/source/Governor_of_New_Jersey)|before=[Peg Bennett](/source/Peg_Bennett)|after=[Dina Matos McGreevey](/source/Dina_Matos_McGreevey)|years=January 12, 2002 &ndash; January 15, 2002}}
{{succession box|title=[First Lady of New Jersey](/source/Governor_of_New_Jersey)|before=[Dina Matos](/source/Dina_Matos)|after=[Mary Pat Christie](/source/Mary_Pat_Christie)|years=November 15, 2004 &ndash; January 17, 2006}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Codey, Mary Jo}}
Category:1955 births
Category:Living people
Category:First ladies and gentlemen of New Jersey
Category:American health activists
Category:Mental health activists
Category:Caldwell University alumni
Category:Seton Hall University alumni
Category:People from Roseland, New Jersey
Category:People from Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Category:People from West Orange, New Jersey
Category:People with mood disorders
Category:Schoolteachers from New Jersey
Category:American women educators

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Mary Jo Codey](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jo_Codey) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Jo_Codey?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.