In 1962, Shak noticed that although city laws prohibited parking within a certain number of feet of an intersection or hydrant, city workers often painted the curbs red for much longer stretches, and police wrote tickets for parking along the red curbs.

Shak made a point of parking in the oversized red areas and fighting the tickets in court.

He won. Every time.

But, as if to add credence to the adage that you can't fight city hall, local politicians snatched defeat from the jaws of Shak's victory.

They rewrote the law — making it illegal to park in any area not specifically painted as a parking stall.

Nonetheless, Shak's courage to stand up for his rights didn't slip the community's notice, and in some circles, he became a folk hero.

In an editorial summarizing the incident, The Honolulu Advertiser wrote:

"Win or lose — and it is not our intent to invite civil disobedience — the community could use more like Shak who aren't afraid to challenge authority when authority seems to them arbitrary, wrong or plain silly.

"Imagine what life would be like if officials weren't occasionally prodded by the angered citizen who takes the idea of democratic government seriously."

Shak is survived by his sons, Clifton and David; daughter Barbara; brothers Harold, Arthur and Lawrence; sister Lily; and two grandchildren.

Visitation will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Borthwick Mortuary. A 3:30 p.m. service will follow.

The family requests no flowers. Aloha attire is requested.