Doris Brennan died Tuesday at the age of 94. She will be remembered, however, for how she lived.

She was tireless and passionate about the community she served and the causes she supported. And with that, she made a difference. Durango and La Plata County are better for having her here.

Doris is perhaps best known as a former La Plata County commissioner, a position she held from 1980 to 1988. In fact, though, she was extraordinarily active in the community on a number of levels. She was, as one family member put it, a “doer type,” a strong woman who never let her fundamentally polite and considerate nature stop her from getting things done.

Born into the McDaniel family, she was a third-generation resident of La Plata County. Her marriage to Michael Brennan linked two longtime local families, which was reflected in her commitment to local causes and interests.

A true community activist, Doris was an engaged member of St. Columba’s church. She was an energetic and enthusiastic backer of the Animas-La Plata Project and, during her time as commissioner, frequently traveled to Washington to support it. She was also a committed and ardent Democrat and not only campaigned for many candidates, but often held fundraisers at her home – the home she made with her husband in the house they built themselves. She was also known to many Herald readers by her thoughtful letters to the editor.

Doris Brennan put her heart into her community and served it well.