Frank F. Fasi's life and love affair with Honolulu were celebrated yesterday as friends paid final respects to the late mayor.

Relatives called Honolulu Fasi's “;12th child,”; as they remembered him taking them on weekends to paint over graffiti and recalling that Fasi himself would mow the City Hall lawn.

Fasi gave 26 years to the city, four as a councilman and 22 as mayor. He died Feb. 3 at the age of 89.

Yesterday his body, in a flag-draped coffin, was taken by a Marine Corps color guard into the Honolulu Hale courtyard. The building was draped in black bunting. About 150 relatives and personal and political friends attended the final city service for Fasi.

Fasi's political career was a story of victories on a municipal level and defeats when he reached for governor. Fasi won the mayorship three times as a Democrat and three times as a Republican. In an effort to avoid the established Democratic politics that defeated him in the primary elections, Fasi even formed his own party, the Best Party, to run for governor, but still lost.

  Many pay respect to late Mayor Fasi

 

As Hawaii's longest serving mayor, Fasi died February 3rd at the age of 89.

 

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Yesterday, longtime supporter and former labor leader Tony Rutledge recalled how during Fasi's last victory as mayor, Fasi was already measuring the next race.

“;It was a come-from-behind win, but he won and as soon as he did, he told me it was a mandate to run for governor,”; Rutledge said. “;I said, 'Frank, take a deep breath. You just got back in.' But he wanted to do more for the whole state. What he accomplished as mayor was unbelievable.”;

During his time as mayor, Fasi brought an in-your-face style of leadership that contrasted with Hawaii's self-effacing political culture, but he found his support among newly arrived immigrant groups and the politically disenfranchised.

“;The Great Depression made guys like this,”; Rutledge said. “;They came in with an attitude and they weren't afraid of anything. Just get down and get it done.”;

Fasi's son Charles, one of 10 of the 11 Fasi children at yesterday's service, recalled that his father grew up poor.

“;He endured poverty, hunger, racial and religious discrimination. As a child, he collected coal on the train tracks and shined shoes for pennies. ... He never forgot once he was the little guy,”; Charles said.

Rutledge said Fasi's brash style shouldn't have worked in Hawaii, but it did. “;Hawaii's aloha spirit and the Japanese culture of 'No make waves' didn't fit the mainlanders who came to Hawaii.”;

He added, “;I don't think Hawaii can produce another leader like Frank.”;

Former Bishop Estate trustee and Senate President Richard Wong recalled how Fasi called him after the famous 1980 incident when he bulldozed the City Council's private parking lot for green space.

Wong said that Fasi called to make sure the money to build the parking garage that would replace the torn-up Council spaces was still in the budget.

“;He called and said, 'You guys make sure the CIP (capital improvement project) is still in the budget.' He always knew exactly what he was doing,”; Wong said.

After World War II, Fasi left the military and came back to Honolulu, starting a building supply company and selling military surplus material. His son Charles recalled how once while selling Quonset huts in Waianae, Fasi met a poor man who asked about a house. Fasi said his father gave him and his family a house.

“;Take it, it's yours,”; Fasi said.

“;There was nothing he wouldn't do, and like a true Marine, he never left anyone behind,”; Charles Fasi said.

Linda Wong, Fasi's former executive assistant, recalled that she joined Fasi's comeback campaign in 1984 and Fasi had few supporters and friends.

“;I think it was Joyce (Fasi's wife) and a few people. But the campaign was the most rewarding experience and after he asked me if I would stay, I did for 10 years.

“;I figured that if I could work for him, I was ready to work for anybody,”; Wong joked.

Another supporter, Joe Magaldi, who was city transportation director, said Fasi expected that his directors would be able to deliver.

“;He would say, 'Joe, I want you to do this and keep me out of trouble.' He trusted you and you trusted him. I worked for five mayors here and on the mainland, and he was the best,”; Magaldi said.