Brenda Petch's sudden death cast a dark cloud over Hull's Guildhall this week.
Always a backbench councillor during the 18 years I knew her, she was never one for shouting from the rooftops about how she was going to change the world.
Instead, she preferred the largely unsung world of tackling ward casework and attending endless committee meetings in an effort to make little things happen for the better.
Mind you, when her time came to occupy the spotlight, she grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Shortly after becoming Lord Mayor of Hull in 2007, she was plunged into the drama of that summer's devastating floods, launching a relief fund to raise money and secure vital domestic equipment for those most in need.
She also rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in to making meals for flood victims who were forced out of their homes.
I will remember Brenda's sense of humour and her ability to take a joke, especially when I once described her as sounding just like Daffy Duck in this very column.
It stemmed from a meeting where she had criticised the crumbling state of the old city centre bus station, as we all waited patiently for the long-promised Ferensway redevelopment to finally materialise.
"It's despicable," she hissed in her best Daffy Duck voice.
After comparing her to a cartoon character with an attitude problem, I feared the worst the next time our paths crossed.
As it was, she fixed me with a steely glare and then burst out laughing.
"You're a cheeky so-and-so, but it did make me chuckle.
"Just make sure you don't do it again," she said.
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