Minooka Village President Patrick Brennan has had three dogs in his life, but the last one was the best one. His wife of 48 years, Denise would agree. Shu-Shu, the Shih Tzu, bounded into their life as an energetic puppy and conquered all hearts.
Shu-Shu has been dead for 10 years now, nearly 11, but the memories abound. First and foremost, Patrick said, she had a great demeanor. She loved everyone she met. Second, she was loyal. Third, she was obedient. If she was in the yard, it took just one finger motion to the door and she would run to it. I am trying to imagine my dog doing this.
“She was a smart dog,” he said. “She always knew what was going on.”
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She lived to the ripe old age of 15 knowing her family loved her and that all was right in her world.
Shu-Shu was really Denise’s dog first and foremost, but Patrick and the pup enjoyed long walks together. They never wanted another dog after Shu-Shu, it somehow just never seemed right.
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Patrick, one of four children of Irish immigrants, and Denise both grew up within a few blocks of each other in Dolton. He had just one boyhood dog, a mix of Golden Retriever and German shepherd, and that was a good dog, too. Denise went to Aquinas High School; Patrick went to Mt. Carmel where he was a standout in baseball.
After high school, he played in two semi-pro leagues for a few years, but he figured he wasn’t headed for the Big Time. At 19, he fell in love with Denise. At 23, after a four-year stint in the U.S. Army and its Reserves, they married. They had a son and six years later a daughter and a collie named Leo. “Leo the Lionhearted,” a big reddish dog, came from a shelter when he was about a year old and lived to be 10.
Patrick coached junior high baseball for his son and softball league for his daughter and later helped to coach for Minooka Junior High School, too.
The Brennans moved to Minooka in 1993 so Patrick could be near Interstates 55 and 80 with his job with Com Ed, where he worked for 37 years. He soon joined the Lions Club and got to meet people fast. His son moved to Denver, his daughter got married and he retired all in one month!
He was a trustee from 2001 to 2005 and then decided not to run again but got involved in Grundy Economic Development Council. When he decided to run for mayor in 2009, no one ran against him, which says a lot for the man.
Because Minooka is in Grundy, Will and Kendall counties, there are plenty of meetings he must attend. His wife doesn’t stay at home wondering when he’ll get back. She is president of the Minooka Federated Woman’s Club and serves on the village events committee and the building committee for their church, St. Mary’s.
In the summers, they take care of their grandson for three days a week. What grandparent wouldn’t love that? Patrick and wife got the grandson two cats for Christmas a few years back, Felix and Oscar. Both son (who has two children) and daughter have cats; they developed allergies to dogs after leaving home.
I liked talking to Patrick Brennan. He reminded me of former Lockport mayor and now deceased Dick Dystrup, a mayor who always wanted what is best for the people. Patrick’s goal is to keep 25 percent of Minooka as undeveloped land and parkland and this is a wonderful goal and I applaud it. Maybe one day Minooka could have its own dog park!
Jan Larsen is an outreach coordinator by day and a dog lover 24-hours-a-day. She can be reached at janettellarsen@aol.com
