Nohi did not succumb to reporting timeframes or curriculum prescriptions.
"He is and always will be a constant reminder that education is more than books and whiteboards. He held a formidable position within education because it came without a job description or a measurement tool. But it came with good unconditional love that often does not have a place in today's system," she said.
His practical application of the Whanganui iwi education strategy, Nga Kai o te Puku Tupuna, helped cement it in the Whanganui tribal landscape.
Te Konohi was born at Patiarero/Jerusalem to Weheora (nee Erueti) and Thomas Wallace, his son Darren said.
He was schooled there until the age of 14, when he left and worked on Whanganui River farms, including a stint at Morikau as farmhand and shepherd.
He enjoyed working with sheep dogs, trained them and competed at dog trials.
He met Evelyn Te Ratoru Henare Keremeneta, and started a relationship. Darren says he may have been told that he had to become Catholic to marry her. Whether that happened or not, he was a staunch Catholic for the rest of his life.
The two had seven children. Ngamihi (Priscilla) was the only daughter. Ian Pascal died at the age of six months and the others were Michael, Richard, Darren, Alistair and Quentin.
While farming in Taihape in 1966 Nohi played rugby for the Huia Rugby Club.
He loved music and learned to play the saxophone and clarinet, while his wife learned to play keyboards. They started a seven-piece dance band called The Drop Scene.
"Mum had a sweet modulated voice, while Dad had a deep baritone voice. It was very good to listen to when combined," Darren said.
The family moved to Waverley in 1969, when jobs at the Patea freezing works were drawing families from the Whanganui River.
"We all felt comfortable still living within each other's reach," Darren recalls.
At first the Wallaces rented a house on the outskirts of Waverley. A couple of years later they owned their own house in town. St Francis De Sales became their adopted church there.
"Mum and Dad were strong believers in upholding the Catholic faith. Sundays were always reserved for church and in our best clothes, which continued also with evening prayers shared between the river whanau and in time with Waverley locals as well. This created an awesome bond in our new environment."
Waverley is still considered the family's home. Nohi continued to play rugby in old timers games. As a coach for the Waverley Rugby Football Union he had a successful under 21 team.
While he worked at the freezing works his wife was busy in the spud patch.
"Dad also had a huge garden, almost a third of the size of our quarter acre section. They were doing anything they could to save because Mum was trying to get a fiscal edge on creating a better life for us all. Mum wore the pants there."
For one school term a year some of the children were sent back up the Whanganui River, to keep up the bond with Nanny Wehe and to remind them where they were from.
Evelyn and Nohi also wanted to do something for Waverley kids. They set up a youth group and disco to keep young minds focused on the positive.
They took all the kids in the group up the river for a weekend camping at Te Ao Marama, near Pipiriki.
"To my amazement I still get reminded by friends how Mum and Dad made this a weekend that will never be forgotten," Darren said.
In the early 80s, living in a community where te reo wasn't spoken freely, Evelyn and Nohi started to knuckle down with their Maoritanga. They joined the late Morvn Simon's choir.
The Patea freezing works closed in 1982. After that Nohi worked as a storeman for the Waipipi iron-sand mining operation until it closed in 1987. Then he bought a Holden Premiere and became a taxi driver, probably developing his people skills in that job.
But while he was driving taxis kuia started telling him he was wasting his Maoritanga. He eventually got the job of kaiarahireo at Te Kura o Kokohuia. It changed his life dramatically, Darren said.
"I think this is where he should have been a long time ago. This is where he looked at his best doing what he loved to do."
In 1993 Evelyn died and Nohi was heartbroken - but the kura, the kids at Kokohuia, and all the whanau who called for his professional mourning services kept him busy.
In 1988 he was one of a group of kaumatua who made a trip to Tasmania to bring the body of Hohepa Te Umuroa back to the river. Te Umuroa was imprisoned as a rebel during the New Zealand wars in 1846, and later died of tuberculosis in Tasmania.
As well as his school work Nohi expanded his aroha to the people of Whanganui by acting as kaumatua to various organisations such as the rock and roll club, the country and western club, the Returned and Services Association, the St John's Club and Whanganui Girls' College.
College principal Tania King said Nohi helped the school with so much tikanga and was present at every special occasion.
"It's like part of our heart has gone."
But Nohi's health was deteriorating and he didn't want to listen to most medical advice, Darren said.
"Dad knew his time was nearly up. His daily prayers were starting to sound faint, his words forgotten but his faith remained strong. I could feel more than ever the meaning coming out of every frail word.
"He could not wait to be reunited with our mother again. The wedding vows say "til death us do part". Dad rewrote the saying "til death and beyond"."
Nohi died a happy man and will be remembered through his siblings, children and grandchildren, Darren said.