Elroy Osorio Sr., former Hawaii County Council chairman, real estate broker, longtime volleyball official and prominent Hilo patriarch known as “Papa O,” died Monday evening at Hilo Medical Center.
He was 94.
“He was Mr. Personality. He always had a smile — kolohe. He was just an all-around good guy. He had a Hawaiian heart,” Osorio’s wife, Delene, said Tuesday. “And he was really intelligent.”
Born Sept. 6, 1924, in Hilo, Osorio, who served in the Merchant Marines during World War II, was inspired by Board of Supervisors Chairman James “Jimmy” Kealoha — like Osorio, a Republican — to run for the board, the precursor to the current Hawaii County Council. In 1964, while a supervisor, Osorio lost a tight race for county chairman — that era’s equivalent of mayor — to Democrat Shunichi Kimura.
Osorio ran for chairman again in 1966, and again lost to Kimura.
Returning to elected politics in 1988, Osorio lost three races in a row. Despite backing from the business community, he lost by a wide margin that year to Democrat Dwight Takamine in the state House District 4 race.
In 1990, Osorio lost a special mayoral election to Democrat Lorraine Inouye. There was no incumbent as then-Mayor Larry Tanimoto, the county managing director who took over the top spot upon the death of GOP Mayor Bernard Akana in April, chose not to seek election.
Then in 1992, Democrat political newcomer Bob Rosehill, a land manager for Bishop Estate, beat Osorio for a Hilo council seat by a razor-thin margin.
Osorio faced off against Rosehill again in 1994 and won in a landslide. Osorio’s council colleagues tabbed him to be chairman.
In March 1996, Osorio led a council delegation to Washington, D.C. They delivered a resolution to then-U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole and then-House Speaker Newt Gingrich requesting the federal government grant more privileges to Native Hawaiians and fulfill obligations of the 1920 Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.
In November 1996, Osorio lost his council seat to another Democratic political newcomer, attorney Aaron Chung.
Former councilwoman and retired longtime county official Bobby Jean Leithead Todd, a Democrat, posted on Facebook that between Osorio’s passions — his family, politics and volleyball (he was a player, coach, referee and a USA Volleyball Moku O Keawe Region official for decades) — “he has left a legacy that will live on.”
“I was the legislative auditor when the Republicans took over the County Council in 1994 and wanted to fire all of the existing staff,” Leithead Todd said. “Elroy looked beyond partisan politics and kept most of the staff, recognizing that whether Republican, Democrat or Green, the council needed staff that knew how to do research, process county paperwork and knew the role of the departments.
“When I filed a harassment complaint on behalf of staff against two of his colleagues, he immediately stepped up to the plate and took steps to correct the situation.
“I have always held him in high regard for his actions.”
Osorio also is enshrined in the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame at the Prince Kuhio Plaza.
“You would think for volleyball,” Delene Osorio said. “This was for basketball. Sports just made his day.”
In addition to his wife, Osorio is survived by his daughter, Leoannalissa “Bebe” (Benedict “Ah Lun”) Yung; sons, Elroy “Tom” (Jennifer) Osorio Jr., Jonathan (Mary) Osorio, David (Enola Gay “Sweetie”) Osorio, Matthew (Melissa Tasaki) Osorio and Emil “Ecko” (Carla) Osorio; stepdaughter, Christine “Kalei” (Regan Mizuguchi) Holt-Mizuguchi; sister-in-law, Lani Osorio; 21 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; nephews and nieces.
Visitation is scheduled from 9-11 a.m. Saturday, May 4, at Haili Congregational Church in Hilo. Services are at 11 a.m., with lunch to follow at the church gym.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.