A powerful farewell haka for a principal of 21 years sent chills up the spine of funeral-goers. Video / Warren Buckland
Robert Geoffrey (Rob) Sturch
May 13, 1958 – November 29, 2023
Beloved school headmaster Rob Sturch has been farewelled in a classic mix of generations, tradition and emotion at his Wednesday funeral, which ended with a spine-chilling haka at Hastings Boys’ High School.
The community arrived early to honour Sturch, who was the school’s boss for 21 years. With half an hour to go before the service started, more than 100 vehicles were parked on school rugby fields, with others up to 400m away on either side of a nearby street.
Outside the filled school hall, before the service started, Board of Trustees chairman George Massingham said that with school having graduated on Monday, it was the last day of the school year.
Pupils stood outside as the hearse arrived at 11am, to a traditional Māori wero (traditional Māori challenge). A guard of honour of former students in honours blazers marked his exit with an all-of-school haka taking place outside the front of the hall soon after 1pm.
A powerful all-of-school haka takes place outside the front of the Hastings Boys' High School hall to honour former headmaster Rob Sturch. Photo / Paul Taylor
Outside a marquee was filled, and more students stood in the open, awaiting but probably not caring about the forecast rain that never came.
The arrival of Sturch who died at 65 on November 29, after a battle with throat cancer, came with a piper’s call via Flower of Scotland before “the man” was carried into the hall led by the wero of school kapa haka leaders.
The service was led by Old Boys association chairman Barry Rosenberg, who had also been on the Board of Trustees that appointed Sturch as headmaster, direct from 20 years at Auckland school Kelston Boys’ High.
More than two hours passed before he was carried out, with a symbolic cooing of the birds above the entrance before the full school, and some former pupils launched into school haka Ākina Tukua! and Ngāti Kahungunu’s own Tika Tonu.
Past pupils greeted former teachers with man-hugs and the firm shaking of hands, a symbol of the teacher-pupil bonds Sturch had inspired.
Among those delivering tributes were deputy headmaster Quentin Crawford, who has also been at the school 20 years, Diane Taylor, one of five Sturch siblings, of whom, growing up a “westie” in Henderson, “Bob” or “Bobby” was the second-eldest.
There was also long-time friend and colleague Craig Lawson and former workmate Bruce Cunningham came from Auckland to represent the Kelston BHS, and rugby team manager Jason Bird spoke on behalf of the school.
The common theme was that of a man committed in every way to the development of his pupils to be men and leaders of the future, with relationships built across the strong involvement in rugby and other sports to the classroom.
Even former Kelston BHS boss and World Cup-winning All Blacks coach Sir Graham Henry, unable to attend but quoted by Cunningham, observed: “What he’s done for Hastings Boys is nothing but superb.”
Rob Sturch was headmaster of Hastings Boys’ High School for 21 years. Photo / Duncan Brown
It highlighted the enthusiastic watch on the former Henderson HS pupil’s career from almost the day he entered teaching, his first headmaster having written barely two years after Sturch joined his staff in 1982 that he was already rated as one of the best a high school teacher could be.
He was “the best and the funniest” workmate a teacher could have, Cunningham said relating, among other matters, some of the nicknames that affixed themselves to the man.
The funeral for Rob Sturch took place in the former principal's school hall. Photo / Paul Taylor
Current school deputy Crawford called Sturch “a great educator – not just a teacher but a true leader and visionary”.
In keeping with the nature of the day, Crawford signed off “Love you, Boss”.
Long-serving Hastings Boys' High School headmaster Rob Sturch is farewelled at the school. Photo / Paul Taylor
Sturch’s 21 years at Hastings BHS maintained a tradition of long-serving headmasters at the school.
He was just the sixth principal in the school’s history of almost 120 years, dating back to the co-educational days of the first half of the 20th century and through it becoming a boys-only school with the opening of Hastings GHS in 1955.
Sturch is survived by his wife Julie, son Thomas and daughter Laura.
Doug Laing is a senior reporter based in Napier with Hawke’s Bay Today and has 50 years of journalism experience in news gathering, including breaking news, sports, local events, issues, and personalities.
