New Jerseyans bid a solemn farewell to former Gov. Dick Codey on Thursday in Trenton where his body lied in state in the building where he spent half a century as a lawmaker and chief executive.
Codey, a Democrat and the longest-serving legislator in state history, died on Jan. 11 at his home in Roseland following a brief illness. He was 79.
Mourners were invited to pay their respects in the State House rotunda.
A long line of visitors, including Gov. Mikie Sherrill and her predecessors Jon Corzine, Jim McGreevey and Tom Kean filed past Codey’s flag-draped casket.
Codey served in elected office from 1974 until his retirement in January 2024. He was Senate president in 2004 when McGreevey resigned amid a sex scandal. By state constitution, Codey was elevated to chief executive, and he served for 14 months, the remainder of McGreevey’s term.
Codey openly spoke about psychiatric illness long before doing so was common. He went undercover at a state psychiatric hospital to expose patient abuse and he pushed for mental health care reform.
Flags will fly at half-staff through Saturday when Codey is buried following a funeral Mass at Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark.
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