Loo, a colorful politician and a tireless advocate for his constituents who became well-known for his infamous scuffles with a fellow Honolulu City Council member and a female self-defense expert, died Sunday in Honolulu. He was 80.

The affable Loo never was a political insider, nor did he conform with political correctness just to secure a vote. His style may have upset his fellow politicians, but he was shrewd enough to have survived three terms in the state House from 1959 to 1966 representing 'Alewa Heights and Pu'unui and three terms on the City Council from 1971 to 1982 representing downtown, lower Kalihi and Palama, 'Alewa Heights, Nu'uanu and Pauoa.

"He was quite a guy," said former Mayor Frank Fasi. "He was an independent spirit, he said what he thought and did what he had to do."

Fasi said he and Loo had many run-ins, but Fasi characterized Loo as always "a likable guy."

Former City Council Chairwoman Marilyn Bornhorst said Loo was "one of a kind."

"People thought of him sometimes as just being colorful, but he was also a pretty smart guy," Bornhorst said of the Yale Law School graduate. "He had a very, very strong sense of taking care of his district."

Although Loo was a fighter for his constituents, he likely will be most remembered for two highly publicized skirmishes.

In December 1976, Loo and fellow council member Wilbert "Sandy" Holck got into a heated argument while attending a Kaua'i reception of the Hawai'i State Association of Counties. Loo landed a punch and the two men wound up wrestling on the floor of the buffet line at the Kaua'i Resort Hotel.

In June 1981, Loo was involved in what may still stand as the most bizarre incident ever at Honolulu Hale.

During a debate on the legalization of self-defense chemical sprays, Loo, who supported the devices, agreed to test their effectiveness by spraying self-defense instructor Ginger Reznik. In front of TV cameras and dozens of onlookers, Loo shot a stream of chemical spray at Reznik, but the demonstration then turned into a scuffle.

Reznik lunged at Loo, shot a knee to his groin and pretended to gouge Loo's eyes out. The two grappled on the floor of the council chambers for several seconds before they were separated.

The incident may have hurt Loo politically because a year later he lost a re-election bid to 29-year-old Republican Tony Narvaes.

"He served the people of Honolulu very, very well," Fasi said. "He was a good check-and-balance on the council. He had good insight in the problems that we had."

When Frank Loo was sworn into office as Honolulu city councilman in 1979, the Samoan Council of Chiefs and Orators named him "High Chief Toesii." Advertiser Library Photo

Loo received his law degree in 1952 from Yale Law School and returned to Honolulu to set up his practice a year later. He also launched a lifetime of public service when he organized the first National Citizenship Day ceremony in Honolulu.

In 1957, the U.S. Jaycees honored Loo as one of 10 Outstanding Young Men of America.

A year later he made his first run at elective office, but finished last in a Democratic primary race for a Territorial Senate seat. The winner was Patsy Mink.

But in 1959, Loo was elected to the first state House of Representatives, where he served until 1966. He lost in another bid to the Senate to future Gov. George Ariyoshi.

Loo returned to public life in 1971 when he won a seat on the City Council. "Friendly" Frank Loo, as he called himself, would be re-elected twice before losing in 1982.

Loo led the campaign to provide bus passes for senior citizens, opposed restrictions on the use of fireworks, fought to save an annual downtown Christmas parade, and once greeted reporters in pajamas after spending the night at a Nu'uanu home to see for himself if neighboring Hare Krishnas were making too much noise.

"The guy was a patriot, he was a fighter. He spoke his mind," Fasi added.

Loo is survived by his wife, Florence; sons, Frank, John and Brian; daughters, Claire Loo Nakatsuka and Lianne Chan; brothers, Bill, Herbert, George, Henry, Abraham and Ralph; sisters, Lily Loo, Vicky Loo, Elsie Hu, Shirley Loo and Janet Loo; and nine grandchildren.