Ann Coody
{{short description|American politician}}
{{infobox officeholder
| name= Ann Coody
| image= Ann Coody.jpg
| alt =
| state_house = Oklahoma
| district = 64th
| term_start = 2004
| term_end = 2016
| predecessor = Ron Kirby
| successor = Rande Worthen
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth_date and age|1937|12|12}}
| birth_place = Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = Republican
| alma_mater = Hardin–Simmons University, University of Oklahoma
| spouse = Dale Coody
| children = Jeff Coody (son)
| profession = Retired educator, counselor, and assistant principal
}}
Ann Coody (December 12, 1937) is a politician from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives in 2004, and represented the 64th district until she was term limited in 2016. Before serving as Oklahoma State Representative, Coody was a longtime educator, counselor, and assistant principal for Lawton Public Schools. To date, Coody is the primary author of 125 bills.{{cite web|title=Ann Coody|url=http://openstates.org/ok/legislators/OKL000061/ann-coody/|website=openstates.org|publisher=Sunlight Foundation|accessdate=20 April 2015}}
Early life
Ann Coody was born in Shreveport, LA and lived there until she was twelve years old. The family moved to San Antonio, TX where her father was stationed at Randolph Air Force Base. Coody graduated from Alma Heights High School in San Antonio.
=Education=
Before departing for Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, TX, Coody met her future husband, Dale Coody, on a blind date. He followed Ann to Hardin-Simmons and the two dated throughout her freshman year. Ann's father was transferred to Tachikawa Air Force base in Japan and she was expected to join her family there. After spending a year abroad, Coody returned to Hardin-Simmons and finished her Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and drama and minor in English.
=Married life and career=
Soon after graduation, Dale and Ann married and spent their first year in Seagraves, TX, while Dale served as the music and educational director at the First Baptist Church in Seagraves. The two moved around in Texas for a time before returning to Tulsa, OK in 1962. In 1963, after both of their children were born, Dale and Ann moved to Lawton, OK, where they have lived ever since. While teaching at Tomlinson high school, Coody received her Master's in guidance and counseling from the University of Oklahoma.{{cite web|title=Ann Coody's Biography|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/biography/46244/ann-coody#.VTZmF2d0wdU|website=projectvotesmart.com|publisher=Vote Smart|accessdate=21 April 2015}} Soon after, Coody was hired as the school counselor at MacArthur High School and remained there for 26 years. While in this position, Coody obtained her certificate in secondary education from the University of Oklahoma. After 9 years as the counselor, she was hired at MacArthur as the Assistant Principal. Eventually Coody was hired as the principal at MacArthur high school and served in that position for 9 years.{{cite journal|last1=Finchum|first1=Tanya|title=Oral history interview with Ann Coody|journal=Women of the Oklahoma Legislature|date=January 21, 2009|url=http://dc.library.okstate.edu/cdm/ref/collection/legislature/id/356|accessdate=20 April 2015}}
In 2000, Coody retired as principal after 39 years in education.
House of Representatives
Coody originally ran for office in 2002 as a registered Democrat and lost. In 2004, Coody was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and was the first female as well as the first Republican to hold the seat in her district (64th). During her first session, Coody got 4 of the 8 bills she presented passed into law. To date, Coody has been the primary author of 125 legislative bills. Coody was term limited in 2016.
=Committees=
- Common Education, Chair
- Conference Committee on Common Education, Chair
- Appropriations & Budget
- A&B Education
- Conference Committee on Veterans & Military Affairs
- General Conference Committee on Appropriations & Budget
- Joint Committee on Appropriations & Budget
- Veterans & Military Affairs
Community Involvement
Coody is also a member of various organizations, including:
- American Legislative Exchange Council
- Comanche County Retired Educators Association
- Oklahoma Retired Educators Association
- First Baptist Church of Grandfield, Oklahoma
References
{{Reflist}}
=Further reading=
- {{cite news|last1=Williams|first1=John|title=Legislator wins award for helping education|url=http://archive.newsok.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Search&Key=DOK/2008/11/22/42/Ar04206.xml&CollName=APA3_DOK_2007-2009&DOCID=154776&PageLabelPrint=4Edmond&skin=%4f%6b%6c%61%68%6f%6d%61%6e&AW=%31%34%32%39%36%32%38%37%30%31%35%36%37&AppName=%32&sPublication=%44%4f%4b&sScopeID=%41%6c%6c&sSorting=%53%63%6f%72%65%2c%64%65%73%63&sQuery=%41%6e%6e%20%43%6f%6f%64%79&rEntityType=&sSearchInAll=%66%61%6c%73%65&dc:creator=&PageLabel=&dc:publisher=&ViewMode=GIF|accessdate=21 April 2015|agency=online digital archives|issue=November 22, 2008|publisher=The Oklahoman}}
- {{cite news|last1=Unruh|first1=Jacob|title=Coody has unique perspective on OSSA|url=http://archive.newsok.com/Default/Scripting/ArticleWin.asp?From=Search&Key=DOK/2013/09/23/38/Ar03800.xml&CollName=APA3_DOK_2010-2014&DOCID=574160&PageLabelPrint=20C&skin=%4f%6b%6c%61%68%6f%6d%61%6e&AW=%31%34%32%39%36%32%38%37%30%31%35%36%37&AppName=%32&sPublication=%44%4f%4b&sScopeID=%41%6c%6c&sSorting=%53%63%6f%72%65%2c%64%65%73%63&sQuery=%41%6e%6e%20%43%6f%6f%64%79&rEntityType=&sSearchInAll=%66%61%6c%73%65&dc:creator=&PageLabel=&dc:publisher=&ViewMode=HTML|accessdate=21 April 2015|agency=online digital archives|issue=September 23, 2013|publisher=The Oklahoman}}
- [https://library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/digital/wotol/ Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project – OSU Library]
{{Oklahoma House of Representatives}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coody, Ann}}
Category:Politicians from Shreveport, Louisiana
Category:University of Oklahoma alumni
Category:Hardin–Simmons University alumni
Category:Women state legislators in Oklahoma
Category:Republican Party members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Oklahoma Legislature
Category:Educators from Oklahoma
Category:People from Lawton, Oklahoma
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:Educators from Louisiana