Football, ballet and politics at the breakfast table: Joan Hall remembers her husband of 45 years, Steele Hall

After 45 years of marriage to a former premier, widow Joan Hall said it was a classic case of “opposites attract”.

Steele and Joan Hall in 1979 after the co-wrote the book “Liberals in Limbo".

Looking back, Joan Hall says her 45-year marriage to former premier Steele Hall was a classic case of “opposites attract”.

She is a sports fanatic and loves the ballet – he, not so much. Yet, every year, he would agree to join her at one Crows game and one soccer match.

It was a chance to spend time together, Joan said.

But Steele, who died on Monday aged 95, only made it to the ballet once.

“When he started to snore, I was embarrassed and nudged him. And he said ‘I wasn’t asleep, I was resting my eyes’,” she said.

“And I said ‘I love you dearly but you’re never coming to the ballet with me again’.”

Throughout their lives together, their differences were testament to the strength of their bond.

One interest – and vocation – that the pair did share was politics.

Steele and Joan Hall at their Wattle Park home in 2017. Picture: Calum Robertson

Joan Hall at the unveiling of a portrait of Steele Hall at the Adelaide Festival Centre in 2021. Mr Hall was responsible for selecting the site of the centre. Picture: Adelaide Festival Centre

Steele was premier from 1968-70, a South Australian Senator from 1974-77 and federal Boothby MP from 1981-1996.

Joan, now 77, was a state MP from 1993 to 2006, during which time she held three ministries in John Olsen’s government: employment, tourism and youth.

Following their respective retirements, they stayed engaged and involved.

“Not many couples would be discussing politics, state and federal, over breakfast. But we did,” she said.

They enjoyed a fulfilling life together until Steele was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. He was well into his 80s at the time.

“It just got steadily worse over the last seven or eight years,” Joan said.

“Anyone that’s been part of a family with dementia, Alzheimer’s, they would understand it’s very difficult to cope with it. Because the person they were visiting is not the father or grandfather that they knew.”

The wedding of Steele and Joan Hall at Wesley Uniting Church, Kent Town on 5 August, 1978.

Steele moved into the Helping Hand nursing home in North Adelaide six years ago, and has not recognised Joan or any of his family for the past 3-4 years.

Still, her devotion never faltered. She visited the home regularly, always bringing chocolates for Steele and the staff.

“When he went into permanent care, our relationship changed,” she said.

“And I missed him terribly because we’ve always been a couple – apart from at sporting events.”

Joan said Steele received the highest possible standard of care right up until the end of his life.

“If I had to give a star performance, something out of 10, I’d make it 100 with the way they’ve looked after Steele and many of the patients in that wing,” she said.

Steele had six children – two with Joan and four with his first wife, Ann.

He has this week been remembered for achievements including the electoral reforms he introduced, described by Premier Peter Malinauskas as “one of the bravest political moves in the state’s history”.

His move to abolish the “Playmander” system sacrificed a significant but unfair electoral advantage for the Liberals.

The government has offered his family a state funeral.