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Thousands of former students whose lives have been touched by Maori educationalist Pani Stirling will be mourning her death at the age of 77 after a long illness.
Mrs Stirling and her husband Te Keepa Stirling were the backbone of Te Kura Maori o Nga Tapuwae in Mangere, which is now run by their daughter, Arihia.
Willie Te Aho says that’s where she will lie in state tomorrow before being taken back to Wairuru Marae in Raukokore on the East Coast on Sunday.
He says his aunt, who was a member of the Reedy whanau, had a lifelong commitment to education.
"Look it’s a sad day for us. We're encouraging our people to come to the Nga Tapuwae kura tomorrow to celebrate the life of someone who in the eyes of our whanau and wider Tairawhiti and Tamaki, Mangere whanau, is a person who has made an extraordinary contribution to education," Mr Te Aho says.
The funeral service for Pani Stirling will be at 11 on Tuesday morning, before she is buried in the family urupa, Moutara.
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
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