Obituary of Bernice Codey Hartwyk

BERNICE CODEY HARTWYK -- MATRIARCH OF CODEY FAMILY DIES Bernice Codey Hartwyk, last member of her generation of the original Codey family of Orange, NJ died on Monday January 29th, 2018 at her home in West Orange, surrounded by her loving family. She was the youngest of Frank and Katherine McManus Codey's family. They were the founders of the Codey Funeral Home (of Orange and Montclair), which was inherited and operated by their three sons Frank Jr., Eugene and Donald and is now operated by former Governor Richard Codey. Mrs. Hartwyk is survived by her six sons; James G. Jr. and wife Kathleen of Old Bridge, Jeffrey B Sr. and wife Lenora of Turnersville, Douglas J. and wife Cathy (deceased) of Point Pleasant and Ridgefield, Mark C. and wife Joanne of South Orange, Phillip F. and wife Eleanor of Beverly Hills, CA, and Christopher M. of West Orange (formerly of South Orange); as well as nine grandsons (James III, Jeffrey Jr., John, William, Jason, Michael, Kevin, Brian and Andrew), four granddaughters (Lauren, Katherine, Kristen and Sarah) and their respective spouses; and 20 great grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, among them the wonderful "Valley Codey Girls". Mrs. Hartwyk could light up a room with her smile and her "Irish blue eyes" could bring joy and happiness to even the saddest of occasions. But what many will remember her for is the way she could mesmerize and electrify a room full of people with her dancing! A talent that she learned from her father and which she shared a love of with her husband of 59 years, James G. Hartwyk (deceased). Mrs. Hartwyk was a graduate of Our Lady of the Valley High School and Caldwell College. Her college degree was earned much later in her life after working many years to provide and pay for educational opportunities for her six sons. She was a great believer in the power of education to transform lives. She was an avid reader and passed on her passion for reading to all six of her sons. She worked as an Assistant to the Dean of Seton Hall Law School and to the President of Georgian Court College and to William F. J. Ryan a well known member of the International College of Heraldry. Mrs. Hartwyk also managed the Stuart School of Business in Wall Township, New Jersey. She worked as a volunteer at Saint Mary's Hospital in Orange and Saint Francis Hospital in Waterloo, Iowa. She was the past president of the Avon Fitkin Hospital Auxiliary (Jersey Shore Medical Center) and was an active member of Our Lady of the Valley Church of Orange and of Saint Elizabeth's Church in Avon-By-The-Sea, New Jersey. Nothing was as important to her as her Hartwyk and Codey families whom she loved and adored, particularly her grandchildren and her "greats". Relatives and friends may attend the wake at the Codey & Jones Funeral Home, 54 Roseland Ave. Caldwell, NJ 07006 on Thursday and Friday from 2pm - 4pm and 7pm - 9pm. Mass will be Saturday, February 3rd at 10 am at Our Lady of the Valley Church, Orange NJ. Interment will follow at Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Montclair, NJ. To share a condolence or memory, please visit www.codeyjonesfh.com. In lieu of flowers, donations in Bernice's memory to Franciscan Bread for the Poor, 144 W 32nd St., NY, NY 10001 (stfrancisbreadline.org) would be appreciated.