Dr. Mary Jo Cooley-Hidecker, PhD, MA, MS, CCC-A/SLP

Mary Josephine Cooley-Hidecker was born December 19, 1958 to Harold Eugene Cooley, Jr. and Mary Lou (Sullivan ) Cooley. Mary Jo entered eternal rest, surrounded by family, on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 at the Baptist Health Hospital, Lexington, Kentucky, at the age of sixty-six years.

 Mary Jo attended Corning Community Schools Kindergarten through 12th Grade graduating with the class of 1977, one of four Valedictorians. Growing up, Mary Jo attended St. Timothy (Reno) Catholic Church, Cumberland Iowa with her family. Mary Jo was very active in high school participating in 4-H, Band, Chorus, Speech Contests, Drama and Y-teens. After High School, she joined her brothers at Ottumwa Heights Community College where she completed her Associate Degree in one year. Mary Jo’s thirst for knowledge sent her to the University of Iowa, where she received her Masters’ degree from the University of Iowa, in Speech Pathology and Audiology. Mary Jo also was invited and inducted at U of I Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. Mary Jo moved to Minneapolis, Minnesota where she used her education in the clinical setting. During this time Mary Jo met the love of her life, Jeffrey Joe Hidecker of Dimondale, Michigan. They were married at St. Patrick Catholic Church, Corning, Iowa, July 12, 1997. Mr. and Mrs. Hidecker settled in Charlotte, Michigan. Mary Jo once again returned to learning, earning her Masters of Epidemiology and a Ph.D. in Audiology and Speech Sciences at Michigan State University. At MSU she was invited and inducted into Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, whose motto is “Let the love of learning rule humanity”, this is a reflection of Dr. Hidecker. During this time in Michigan, Jeff and Mary Jo were blessed with two daughters, Ayla Rayne and Mylanie Lynae. Dr. Hidecker thoroughly enjoyed her work in clinical research and educating students to be Speech Pathologists. Recently, one of her students stated; Dr. Hidecker taught us to always keep asking “Why?”. The next move for this family of four was to Conway, Arkansas, where Dr. Hidecker accepted the Assistant Professor in Communication Sciences and Disorders at University of Central Arkansas for four years. The family moved to Laramie, Wyoming when Dr. Hidecker accepted the position of Assistant Professor at the University of Wyoming, to continue her research. The final move for Mary Jo and Jeff was to Lexington, Kentucky. Dr. Hidecker accepted the position of Associate Professor of the College of Health Sciences at the University of Kentucky. Dr. Hidecker brought much to her specialty such as raising the bar when it came to diagnosing. Dr. Hidecker led a team changing the way speech impaired individuals were classified with their impairment, hence now there is a CFCS/ Communication Function Classification System.

Mary Jo is survived by her loving husband of 27 years, Jeff of Lexington, Kentucky; daughters: Ayla of Cheyenne, Wyoming and Mylanie of Laramie Wyoming; siblings: Mike (Dawn) Cooley of Orient Iowa; Jane Mack of Burlington, Iowa; Paul Cooley of Clarinda, Iowa; brother-in-law, Douglas (Terri) Hidecker of Leroy, Michigan; sister-in-law, Keitha (David) Harris of Edwards, Missouri; nieces and nephews: Anne (John) Goebel, Chad (Emily) Cooley, Scott (Meghan) Cooley, Kyle (Marie) Cooley, Michael (Crystal) Cooley, Dawna (Heath) Mitchell, Patrick Cooley, Mark Cooley, Stephanie (Brent) Giles, Tamara (Tim) Mullen, Thomas (Shay) Kibbe, Sarah Mack, Ashle (Cliff) Holmes, Linnette (Jeff) Hidecker-Porter, Kristy (Rick) Mann, Corey (Chastidy) Perez, Jeff Perez; twenty-six great nieces and nephews. 

Mary Jo was preceded in death by her parents, Gene and Mary Lou Cooley; mother-in-law, Frances Cornett; father-in-law, Keith (Raye) Hidecker; brother, Marty Cooley; sister, Beth Waddle; brother-in-law, Richard Mack; great-nephew, Noah Holmes.