Ballarat's Kathleen Hobson died on March 30, Easter Sunday, at home surrounded by friends and family.

Those who knew her said her sometimes shy and reserved public demeanour was contrasted by her thoroughness when it came to her work with groups such as Ballarat's Botanic Gardens, Anglicare and Ballarat Health Services.

"I think one of the lasting legacies is that mum showed us who she really was through her actions, in what she did," daughter Jane said.

"She was not pushy, she taught us that in life it is better to be in the present, and just get on with things otherwise you lose sight of who you really are and what life means to you. What meaning do you want to bring to life?"

Mrs Hobson was born on February 23, 1929, in Melbourne during the midst of the impacts of the Great Depression.

Early in life Mrs Hobson and her family moved to Mount Arapiles, settling on a farm her Polish immigrant family had owned.

Mrs Hobson grew up in the Wimmera and went to school in Horsham, before moving to Ballarat in 1949, where she met her husband Philip Hobson at a boat shed dance.

The couple raised five children in Ballarat - Anne, Jane, Ruth, Fiona, and musical theatre star David.

"Although dad was perhaps more well known, mum was quarterly behind the scenes, never just being the housewife," daughter Jane said.

"She was making her own networks and making a lane for herself."

Mrs Hobson blazed a path of volunteer involvement across the Ballarat community, actively participating in at least 17 different organisations over her 75 years in the city.

This included as a Ballarat Health Services board member for 40 years and an active participant in the city's musical theatre scene.

Her work in the community earned her an Order of Australia medal in 2018 as part of the Queen's Birthday honours.

A former vice-president of the Friends of Ballarat Botanical Gardens, and a member for 21 years, she had a "love of gardens and the community". Later in life, Mrs Hobson was also dedicated to digging up historical treasures at the Public Records Office.

Such was her commitment to community work that her daughter Jane said her mother had been taking minutes at Anglican Mothers' Union meetings in December, despite her ill-health.

"I think that is one of the most important things to me. Get on with it. She was very humble too," Jane said.

"The only people that ever really saw the whole mum would have been us kids, she was also private.

"She was very self contained. To the outside world, in getting on with people. She had a quiet manner about her."

Mrs Hobson was also a dedicated parishioner at St Peter's Anglican Church. The church's rector Father Michael O'Brien said she set a strong example for those in the community.

"Kathleen was a very committed part of the congregation of St Peter's, whose life was very much shaped by her faith." Mr O'Brien said.

"She was very much involved in the community and the arts scene."

Mrs Hobson is survived by five children, 11 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.