An inspiration to the end One of Australia's most loved figures, Hazel Hawke, has died at the age of 83. The family had been with Mrs Hawke during her last days as she finally succumbed to complications of dementia, Ms Pieters-Hawke said. Mrs Hawke was divorced from former prime minister Bob Hawke in 1995 after 39 years of marriage. She and Mr Hawke had four children: Sue, Stephen, Roslyn and Robert jnr, who died as a baby in 1963. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said last night: "We have lost a wonderful Australian." Bob Hawke's public achievements in the union movement and in government are unthinkable without Hazel's steadfast support. The government would discuss with Mrs Hawke's family "an appropriate way to recognise Hazel's contribution to public life." Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said: "Hazel Hawke was widely respected and admired in our community." Mrs Hawke, who was widely regarded as a national treasure, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2001. She announced her affliction on an episode of Australian Story on ABC TV in 2003 to gain publicity for a fund she had jointly set up with Alzheimer's Australia. President of Alzheimer's Australia Ita Buttrose praised Mrs Hawke's contribution to campaigning for a cure. Hazel Hawke's life was a life to celebrate and one devoted to many causes and especially those Australians who suffered disadvantage. The chief executive of Alzheimer's Australia, Glenn Rees, said Mrs Hawke's advocacy for people with dementia would never be forgotten. She made a great and personal commitment to dementia research and particularly to improving the quality of dementia care through the Hazel Hawke Alzheimer's Research and Care Fund. Bill Kelty, the union leader who played a critical role in Mr Hawke's ascension to the Labor leadership said: "She was the Australian equivalent of Eleanor Roosevelt." "She was always a person of incredibly strong conviction," said a close friend, Wendy McCarthy. If she was on your side she was formidable. She came from a family that was grounded in the sands of Western Australia . . . She was a very humble person. Former prime minister Paul Keating said: "She was a person of her time, who conducted her life in a no-nonsense way, free of any airs and graces . . . with Michael Gordon