Gary Blowers

Minot

Gary Blowers, 69, Minot, ND, passed away Monday, May 1, 2023, in his home with his family by his side after fighting hard for eight months battling metastatic pancreatic cancer.

Gary Robert Blowers was born October 20, 1953, the son of Elmer Blowers and Delores Hendrickson (Stavem), in Minot. Gary was raised and educated in Mohall except for the 4th and 5th grade in which the family lived in Puyallup and Federal Way, WA. The family moved back to Mohall where he graduated from Mohall High School in 1971.

During high school, at the age of 17, Gary began working for Production Services in Mohall. After high school Gary began as a contract worker for Portal Pipeline, eventually being hired on as a full-time employee in 1975. Gary continued working for Portal Pipeline which transformed into Enbridge Pipeline in 1996, working in many positions throughout his career. Gary retired from Enbridge Pipeline on July 1, 2014.

Gary married Deborah Parrow on September 20, 1975, at the United Methodist Church in Lansford, ND. They made their home in Plentywood, MT until February of 1978. In 1979 and 1980 Gary, along with the help of his father and father-in-law, built their home in Minot. He built an addition on that house in 1996. In 2016 Gary fulfilled his lifelong dream of living in the country and having a big shop, which was always full of cars, tractors, tools, and any other miscellaneous treasures both broken and working.

After retirement, Gary and Debbie spent many winters down in Arizona in their motorhome. They purchased a winter home in Surprise in the spring of 2020.

Gary enjoyed books, movies, especially westerns, puzzles, and of course FOX News. Most important to Gary though, was his family. No matter how busy he was with work Gary made it a priority to be at all of his kids’ events and eventually every grandkid’s event. He always made sure Debbie had roses for special occasions, which was a trait that he passed on to a couple of his sons.

He was a member of Vincent United Methodist Church.

Even in the last few weeks of Gary’s life, he wanted to get up and go out to his shop as he had things that needed to be done.

His loving family includes: wife of 47 years, Deborah; children, Nathan (Tonya) Blowers, Jason (Kristyl) Blowers, Lisa Blowers, Brandon Blowers, Amanda Blowers, Belinda (Luke) Zabka, Rebecca (Jay) Schmidt, Tricia (Scooter) Isenberger, Brady (Megan) Blowers; 20 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter, Josephine; brother, Greg Blowers; sister, Veronica (Les) Daly; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents; brother, Galen Blowers.

Visitation: Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. at Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.

Prayer Service: Friday at 5 p.m. at Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.

Funeral: Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 11 a.m. at Vincent United Methodist Church, Minot.

Interment: 2:30 at Lansford Community Cemetery, Lansford, ND.

Memorials: are preferred to donor’s choice.

The service will be livestreamed for the public to view and can be accessed by going to the Thompson-Larson Funeral home website: www.thompsonlarson.com.

Those wishing to sign the online register and share memories may access the online obituaries section at (www.thompsonlarson.com).

Published by The Minot Daily News, May 4, 2023.