{"id":198306,"date":"2017-12-20T17:24:40","date_gmt":"2017-12-20T07:24:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=198306"},"modified":"2020-09-22T14:50:00","modified_gmt":"2020-09-22T04:50:00","slug":"lady-bjelke-petersen-1920-2017","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/12\/20\/lady-bjelke-petersen-1920-2017\/","title":{"rendered":"Lady Bjelke-Petersen: 1920-2017"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
FLASHBACK: Opposition Leader & Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and Agriculture Minister & Member for Maranoa David Littleproud with Lady Flo at the opening of the Lady Bjelke-Petersen Community Private Hospital in Kingaroy, named in her honour in 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
\n

Statement From
\nBjelke-Petersens
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Bjelke-Petersen family released a statement to Brisbane media outlets on Tuesday afternoon:<\/strong><\/p>\n

“It is with great sadness that we inform you that Lady Florence Bjelke-Petersen peacefully passed away at 3:46pm, December 20, after a short period of illness at Lutheran Services Orana Aged Care where she had resided since August 2014.<\/p>\n

“She was surrounded by her family and loved ones, including her sister Margaret Gilmour.<\/p>\n

“We safely entrust her into the hands of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n

“Until recently she actively participated as organist for church within the Orana community and other aged care facilities in Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

“Lady Flo as she was fondly known was 97 years old.<\/p>\n

“She will be sorely missed by her family, and many across Queensland and beyond.<\/p>\n

“Lady Flo was loved and will be missed by all staff and residents of Orana.<\/p>\n

“Funeral arrangements are yet to be advised.”<\/p>\n

(The statement was released via Lutheran Services)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

December 20, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lady Bjelke-Petersen – a former Queensland Senator and widow of the State’s longest-serving Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen – has died aged 97.<\/p>\n

The former politician, who earned respect from both sides of politics, died in Orana on Wednesday afternoon surrounded by family after suffering a recent stroke and fall.<\/p>\n

Lady Flo, as she was popularly known, was born Florence Isabel Gilmour on August 11, 1920.<\/p>\n

The woman who later became famous for her Classic Country home-style recipe books actually started life in the city.<\/p>\n

She was the eldest of two daughters of James Gilmour, a Brisbane accountant, and his wife Florence Low.<\/p>\n

Lady Flo grew up in New Farm and began her schooling at New Farm State School.<\/p>\n

She then went to Brisbane Girls’ Grammar School but after two years decided to take a 12-month public service special course.<\/p>\n

This led to a job in the Main Roads Department, where she worked for 15 years, from 1937 to 1952.<\/p>\n

Lady Flo was interested in politics from an early age, becoming a member of the Liberal Party.<\/p>\n

While working for the Main Roads Commissioner, she met the then-Country Party Member for Nanango (later Barambah) Johannes Bjelke-Petersen.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joh, then 41, and Flo, 31, were married at the Fortitude Valley Presbyterian Church on May 31, 1952.<\/p>\n

The couple moved to Joh’s property ‘Bethany’ at Kingaroy. The marriage lasted nearly 53 years, until Sir Joh’s death in 2005.<\/p>\n

The couple had four children: Margaret, Ruth, Helen and John.<\/p>\n

In 1984, Joh was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George for services to Parliamentary democracy. Sir Joh’s title made Flo “Lady Bjelke-Petersen”.<\/p>\n

Flo became “Senator Flo” in 1981, a position she held until 1993.<\/p>\n

During her time in the Upper House, she was not afraid to cross the floor to vote against sales tax increases or stand up for Queensland.<\/p>\n

She continued to live at ‘Bethany’ until recent years when she shifted into Orana.<\/p>\n

Religious faith was always a large part of Lady Flo’s life.<\/p>\n

She was involved in church groups as a younger person in Brisbane, and converted to Lutheranism after she married Sir Joh.<\/p>\n

This faith never left her, despite the trials and tribulations of her husband’s – and her own – political careers.<\/p>\n

She told an interviewer in 1994: <\/strong><\/p>\n

“I look forward at the end of this life to a life beyond the grave, a life of reunion with those of my dear ones who have had faith and trust in their Lord and Saviour when that time comes … if there’s judgment I rely completely on Jesus.”<\/em><\/p>\n

Related article: Tributes Flow For Lady Flo<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Bethany<\/a>
FLASHBACK: John Bjelke-Petersen and his sisters Margaret (Meg), Ruth and Helen look on as their mother Lady Flo helps granddaughter Grace cut a cake to mark the centenary of Bethany in 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Lady Bjelke-Petersen – a former Queensland Senator and widow of the State’s longest-serving Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen – has died aged 97.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":155486,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,3],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nLady Bjelke-Petersen: 1920-2017<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Lady Bjelke-Petersen - a former Queensland Senator and widow of the State's longest-serving Premier Sir Joh Bjelke-Petersen - has died aged 97.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/12\/20\/lady-bjelke-petersen-1920-2017\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lady Bjelke-Petersen: 1920-2017\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Lady Bjelke-Petersen - 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