Obituary: Reuben Riki

Reuben Riki

* Reuben Riki, deputy principal of Sir Edmund Hillary Collegiate and former Manukau City councillor. Died aged 47.

Reuben Riki represented Otara ward on the council from 1992 until 2001, when he decided not to stand again because of ill health. Manukau Mayor Sir Barry Curtis described him as a wise and highly respected man.

"He only spoke when he needed to, and when he spoke, people listened."

Mr Riki joined the staff of the college after gaining his Bachelor of Arts degree and a period teaching at Tangaroa College. Although he had administrative responsibilities, he was happiest in the playground talking to his students.

Ex-All Black Eric Rush remembers Mr Riki as an "awesome" teacher.

"Most of the students respected him. But you couldn't muck around with him." Reuben Riki was born in Otara and educated at Mayfield Primary, Bairds Rd Intermediate and Hillary College. He was studying for his doctorate when he died.

Friend and colleague Len Brown said that an upbringing in Otara brought temptations to step over to the seamier side of life. He credits Mr Riki's uprightness to the values his parents had instilled.

"He had a black and white view on issues like morality and right and wrong and he brought that to his job as a teacher and councillor."

Mr Riki is survived by his wife Nita, three sons and a daughter, and a grandson, Reuben. He is buried at his marae at Muriwai, near Gisborne.