The wife of Queensland’s longest-serving premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen has died aged 97.
Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen, a former National Party senator who was also famous for her pumpkin scones, died at an aged care home at Kingaroy, north of Brisbane, on Wednesday afternoon after a short illness.
Operator Lutheran Services confirmed the news, saying she was surrounded by family and loved ones, including her sister Margaret Gilmour.
Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen has died aged 97 in an aged care home at Kingaroy, north of Brisbane
Lady Flo was married to Queensland’s longest-serving premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen for 53 years (she is pictured on her wedding day in May 1952)
‘We safely entrust her into the hands of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,’ it said.
Lutheran Services said Lady Bjelke-Petersen would be missed by staff and residents at the Orana Aged Care Service, where she had lived since August 2014.
‘She will be sorely missed by her family, many across Queensland and beyond,’ it said.
Queensland’s new Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington, who represents the same electorate Sir Joh did, tweeted ‘rest in peace Lady Flo’ upon hearing the news.
Lady Flo (pictured right with her late husband Sir Joh and then Labor premier Peter Beattie in 2003) spent 12 years as a Queensland National Party senator
‘You were a rock of our community and will be sadly missed and lovingly remembered,’ she said.
‘I will always cherish your support and guidance.’
Funeral arrangements are yet to be announced.
Lady Flo, who grew up in the inner-Brisbane suburb of New Farm, met Sir Joh during the early 1950s when he was a new Country Party member of the Queensland parliament.
New Queensland Liberal National Party leader Deb Frecklington, who holds the very seat Joh Bjelke-Petersen represented, tweets her condolences
She served as a National Party senator for Queensland from 1981 to 1993, with her political career briefly overlapping with that of her husband, who was premier from 1968 to 1987.
Lady Flo was more well known for her pumpkin scones, which she served at her Bethany property and even wrote a cook book with her savoury recipes.
She is survived by her son John, who has run unsuccessfully for state and federal parliament as a Nationals and Palmer United Party candidate.
Her husband Sir Joh, a controversial and authoritarian figure in Queensland, died in 2005.