Brisbane personality Jan Power has died peacefully in her sleep over the weekend at the age of 85.
Ms Power was ABC Radio Brisbane's food segments presenter whose self-professed aim in life was to promote the under-appreciated Queensland choko — an avocado-shaped fruit that grows on a vine.
Her secondary aim in life, she often said, was to promote the virtues of apathy, which she insisted was unfairly maligned.
The gourmand founded the Jan Powers Farmers Markets, which her daughters and granddaughters run at the Brisbane Powerhouse, Manly Harbour and Michelton.
Jan Power said the Queensland choko was a delicious but under-appreciated fruit. (Supplied)
Her life's philosophy was to enjoy the present moment, encapsulated in her motto: "Life is uncertain, always eat dessert first."
The former chef was a prolific media personality who appeared on the ABC and Channels 7, 9, 10, and wrote columns for the Courier-Mail and Gourmet Traveller.
She also gave talks in jails, TAFE colleges, hospitals, and hotels, and in 1966 she was declared the Toastmaster Best Communicator of the Year.
In 1977 she was appointed as the first Cultural Ambassador for the City of Brisbane and was affectionately known as "Mrs Brisbane".
A lover of the arts, she became the deputy chairwoman of the Queensland Performing Arts Trust and a member of Brisbane City Council's Arts and Festivals Board.
Before her rise to fame Ms Power worked as a trained nurse and then a qualified cook from Cordon Bleu in London.
In a joint statement, her family said Ms Power had touched the lives of many Brisbane locals.
"Jan was a beloved and vibrant figure in the Brisbane community," her family said.
"Brisbane has lost a true pioneer, but her spirit will live on in the markets she founded over 30 years ago, the farmers she supported, and the many people who share her passion for food and art."
The family said they would release further details regarding a memorial service in the near future.