REMEMBER WHEN

Friday August 2, 1968

JUST six hours after Bruce Bishop was endorsed as the Liberal Party candidate for South Coast, his wife Gwenda died at age 38 from leukaemia.

Mrs Bishop, who died in the Mater Hospital, Brisbane, at 3.45am the previous morning had asked her husband not to withdraw his nomination for selection. She also requested that it should not be generally know that she was dying.

Some of the members of the selection council which endorsed Mr Bishop did not know. Close friends said it appeared that Mrs Bishop had clung to life only long enough to hear from her husband that he had been selected.

Mrs Bishop was foundation chairman of the McPherson Women’s Council of the Liberal Part – a position she still held at the time of her death.

Liberal Party state president Eric Robinson said Mr Bishop had made a very real contribution to the party.

“Her death is a grievous blow to the local party organisation and for my wife and myself,” he said. “Particularly for my wife her loss is that of a very dear friend.

“Gwenda Bishop will be remembered for her many qualities, especially for her friendliness, vitality and sense of humour. As she approached death she displayed a capacity for tremendous courage.

“On behalf of all party members throughout Queensland I extend by sympathy to Bruce Bishop and his family.”

Mrs Bishop left behind two sons, Simon and Danny.

Gwenda Bishop came to the Gold Coast in the late 1950s and become a well-known journalist and women’s editor at the Gold Coast Bulletin.