The remembrances and stories flowed like a river Wednesday as one of Cincinnati's political giants was memorialized.Tom Luken died a week ago at the age of 92.He was remembered as a tough fighter for the causes he believed in, such as civil rights. He was feisty and fearless which served him well as he traveled the south with the Freedom Riders during tense times in the ‘60s.Friends regarded the former Mayor and former Congressman as true to his instincts.They spoke of him as authentic, passionate and alternately irascible and kind-hearted depending on the moment.There were many moments, especially at church festivals.Hamilton County Commissioner Denise Driehaus worked for Luken as a council aide decades ago and delighted in recalling the way Luken would outmaneuver Republican Steve Chabot as he gave patrons plastic cups with his name printed on them."Everybody around! You know, who wants a beer? And 50 people would come over and everybody would be drinking a beer on Tom Luken in Chabot cups," said Driehaus. "That was the beauty of Tom."His funeral mass at St. Xavier Church honored the beauty of his life of purpose.Luken marched at Selma, took on Big Tobacco, battled to get buses for the poor and demonstrably opposed capital punishment."Years after he was no longer in office," said Ohio Democratic Party Chairman David Pepper, "I know he'd go to Columbus for rallies against the death penalty." He was a mentor and friend to a then-young John Cranley, the city's current Mayor. Another former mayor spoke movingly about Luken's commitment to basic human rights and smiled about a quirky habit from his council days of decades ago."Every time one of the lights of the camera went on, Tom could be in the middle of a sentence, not talking to the cameras, just talking at the council meeting, he'd take his glasses off," Springer remembered. "And then, when the lights went off, they'd go back on. Someone else would turn on their lights, he wasn't even conscious of doing that." Luken was a marine lieutenant in World War II and began his political career as a solicitor in Deer Park.He was a rising star in Democratic circles and was elected to Cincinnati Council, serving as mayor in the early '70s. He became a U.S. Congressman after that, returning to Council in the early '90s.Judge Tyrone Yates, a fellow Democrat, stated Luken "certainly made a difference in shaping our city and nation."Democratic State Representative Alicia Reece called for a moment of silence during House session to honor Luken.His son, Charlie, was also a former mayor and congressman. There are eight children, 16 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.Father John Civille told the assembled that Shirley, Luken's wife of 70 years, told him “no eulogy” and keep it short.It was vintage Luken that brought a wave of appreciative laughter across the pews. "There's no better inspiration than someone who is fighting for his ideals," said civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein.Luken fought for them throughout his life.He was equal parts warrior and decent heart on the inside.He sought no limelight for many of the things he did, such as reading to underprivileged school children.Luken considered it the right thing to do as a human being. It was as simple as that. And were he still around, he'd love to argue the point.