Gympie lawyer and champion shooter Linda Blowers farewelled after shock death

‘The shocking news spread through the Gympie community like wildfire’: A well-known Gympie region lawyer and champion shooter who lost her battle with cancer last month has been farewelled by those who loved her most.

Linda Blowers was farewelled by family and friends at her funeral on April 19, 2021. Photo Tanya Easterby / The Gympie Times

Linda Blowers was a well known Gympie lawyer, champion pistol shooter and “caring” stepmother who tragically passed away on April 13, 2021, after being diagnosed with cancer just three weeks earlier.

Her sudden death at the age of 54, sent shockwaves through the Gympie community, with tributes from people she touched flowing on social media.

Linda’s stepdaughter Karla Blowers described her stepmother as a “kind”, “incredibly smart” and “driven” woman who was always on the go.

“Always with a list a mile long of things she wanted to do,” Karla said.

“A month before she left us, she ran a 5km Parkrun and as far as we knew, she was cancer free.

“Just a week and a half later she was in hospital, diagnosed with stage four cancer, three weeks later she was gone.”

Karla, Linda and Alain Blowers.

Karla said the response from the Gympie community, Linda’s work colleagues and her sporting friends had been “amazing” and “so supportive”.

“The running community held Parkruns dedicated to her when she was diagnosed and after she passed,” she said.

“The shooting community has reached out in many ways, from people travelling from Adelaide and Thursday Island for her funeral, to plans for memorial shoots and trophies.

“Her bright smile and warm heart touched so many lives.”

Linda grew up in Clovass in New South Wales and later moved to Bauple, near Tiaro, with her husband Alain in 1991.

Linda Blowers was farewelled by family and friends at her funeral on April 19, 2021.

Graduating with a Bachelor of Laws from QUT in 1992, she became employed as an article clerk with the law firm Neilson, Stanton and Parkinson in Gympie.

Linda became a partner in the firm in the January of 2006, and stayed with the firm for 32 years.

Aside from her dedication to law, Linda delved into the world of pistol shooting in 1991, and was awarded the national champion title five times.

One of Linda’s friends and shooting partners Damien Fitzgerald, said they were both on the Australian team together and he would always remember her beautiful smile.

“Linda was a person that had so much time for people and cared about so many,” Mr Fitzgerald said.

“I knew she was sick but it was like my heart was ripped out.”

Neilson Stanton and Parkinson’s Ian King, Linda Blowers, Stephen Manthey and Graham Neilson. Photo Tanya Easterby / The Gympie Times

Fellow law firm partner and friend Stephen Manthey said it was an “absolute shock” to Linda’s colleagues when she died.

“It was totally unexpected and a great sadness to us all to lose her,” Mr Manthey said.

“She was an extremely competent lawyer and was very professional in her working life as a lawyer and was very well regarded by her peers.

“She will be greatly missed as a friend and colleague.”