New Hampshire citizen-activist Doris Haddock (“Granny D”) has died, aged 100 according to New Hampshire state representative [Jim Splaine http://www.bluehampshire.com/diary/9492/the-passing-of-granny-d] – who was scheduled to speak with her later this month in Portsmouth. More after the jump ….She has been a colorful figure here in the Granite State ever since she walked across the United States (at age 89) to champion the cause of campaign finance reform. Sadly, she died [at home http://www.wmur.com/news/22792574/detail.html] earlier today, only two months after having celebrated her 100th birthday. And although she garnered only 34% of the vote – when Judd Gregg was in a much different stage of his career – she did take him on:

She was the Democratic nominee for Senate in 2004, when she lost to incumbent Republican Sen. Judd Gregg. Born in Laconia, NH in a time where there was no electricity and only two cars on the street, Haddock said that she wanted to be an actress but was asked to leave college when she got married ….. in 1930.

And there is a great [DVD http://www.grannyd.com/] of her efforts. According to Ruth T. Meyer (a longtime assistant) [to her friends http://sentinelsource.com/articles/2010/03/09/news/local/free/doc4b97114f71aab844867754.txt] in an e-mail:

“Please do know too how grateful for each and all of you she was,” Meyer wrote. “At this time I know we not only share feelings of great loss in losing her, great joy in having known her, and also of a deep obligation to continue the good work that she inspired in us and so many others.”

Finally, how apropos that she died on the 2nd Tuesday in March – the traditional [Town Meeting Day http://www.fosters.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100308/GJCOMMUNITY_01/703089964/-1/FOSNEWS] in New Hampshire – and in towns that are too large to conduct that anymore, elections were held for such offices as school board and the like today (which I was able to do). Vaya con Dios, Granny!