Former Maine governor and congressman Joseph Brennan has passed away at the age of 89.

Brennan served as governor from 1979 to 1987 and served two terms in the House of Representatives.

In a statement, Gov. Janet Mills says, “Maine and the nation have lost a great public servant, and I have lost a friend. Through five decades of public service – as a state legislator, County Attorney, Attorney General, Member of Congress, Federal Maritime Commissioner, and as Maine’s 70th Governor — Joe Brennan never stopped working to improve the lives of Maine people. The proud son of Irish immigrants, Gov. Brennan’s career was guided by the core values of hard work, fairness, friendship, and a drive to help those who needed a helping hand, values which he learned growing up on working class Munjoy Hill in Portland."

Mills added, “I saw Joe Brennan’s character and decency up close when I worked for him when he was Attorney General. In 1980, Governor Brennan took a chance on a young woman lawyer, appointing me as Maine’s first woman District Attorney, over the objections of a number of men at the time. That appointment, little did I know then, put me on the path years later to become the first woman to serve as Governor of Maine."

Former Gov. John Baldacci also issued a statement saying, “Gov. Brennan was a friend, a mentor and a dedicated servant to the people of Maine. It’s difficult to put into words what he has meant to me and my family and to the entire state. He was a man of the highest integrity, who led the Maine through difficult times. He believed that he had an obligation to make things better, and he lived that ideal through his commitment to public education and improving the state’s economy. Even during the most difficult times, he approached his role with compassion and humor. He always understood that he worked for the people of Maine and tried every day to make their lives better.”

(Gov.-elect Paul LePage, second from left, shares a laugh with four former Maine governors before being sworn in as Maine's next governor on Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2011 at the Blaine House in Augusta, Maine. Democrat Gov. John Baldacci, far left, LePage, Republican John McKernan, Democrat Joe Brennan, and Independent Angus King, far right. (Associated Press/Pat Wellenbach)

Gov. Baldacci served in the state senate during Gov. Brennan’s time in the Blaine House.

Baldacci adds, “We campaigned together and would sometimes travel together to events in Bangor. He was always a gentleman, he was always prepared, and he recognized that while Maine might be organized around towns and cities, our state’s real foundation is built upon the families who live and work here. Like my father, he conducted politics the right way – with honesty and integrity. He treated people the way he wanted to be treated.”

“Maine will miss Joe. I will miss Joe. Karen and I send Joe’s his wife, Connie, and son, J.B., our sincerest condolences. My hope is that Joe’s legacy of leadership and the positive impact he had on so many people will bring them some small amount of peace during this difficult time. Our state has lost a great man.”

Brennan was born in Portland and lived on Munjoy Hill. He attended Cheverus High School, Boston College and the University of Maine School of Law, according to Wikipedia.