"The community were always wanting to honour the work that he did, but he would try to avoid the attention. He would just say it was a pleasure for him to do it."
Some of the recognition given to Mr Shaw included for 50 continuous years of selfless dedication to Whakatane junior rugby.
Earlier this year a national "Local Hero" award came for his outstanding contribution to the rural settlement of Taneatua.
"He was many people's friend, a neighbour, but most of all he was a hero, especially in rugby."
His half-century involvement in Tai Mitchell rugby for Whakatane meant he worked with a lot of talented young sports stars from the community including one of its most famous, Kiwi league captain Benji Marshall.
Mr Shaw told The Daily Post at the time he had always thought the talented stand-off would have made a great All Black.
However, Mr Shaw's triumphs were also mixed with a number of tragedies.
In June last year he lost his whangai (adopted) son Hugh "Boy" Biddle after a landslide engulfed their west end, Ohope home during heavy rain.
It was the second "son" he had to let go after Greg Shaw, a man he described as his best mate, drowned while surfing at Omaio during Cyclone Ivy in 2004.
The pair were just two of a number of young men Mr Shaw became a father figure to, mentored, and helped to turn their lives around.
"He adopted children who were in distress. It was something he did, but he would get embarrassed if people found out."
Only months after losing Hugh, a bus carrying a number of Mr Shaw's Taneatua students was hit by a logging truck, resulting in a significant number of injuries.
Mr Kruger said the principal didn't let the tragedies get to him.
"He accepted what life brought him. I found him not a person to ask 'why me? This is horrible'. He accepted the heartbreak and took the tragic with the thrill.
"He was visibly hurt but he did not dwell on it. We were more worried about him than he was. The value system that Rob held was: life is not to be wasted. It was about living it to its fullest."
After 16 years as Taneatua School principal, Mr Shaw announced he would be stepping down as principal at the end of the year.
"He needed to slow down. We [the community] were aware he was overworked."
Mr Shaw's funeral will be held on Wednesday at 11am. The venue was still to be confirmed but it was expected to be either Whakatane's Liberty Centre or the War Memorial Hall. He is survived by a sister and a step-daughter.
