Gwendolyn Marie Blackburn

1964 - 2025

Sept. 25, 1964 – Sept. 27, 2025
With heavy hearts, the Blackburn family is saddened to announce the passing of Gwendolyn Marie Blackburn, 61, of Fairbanks, Alaska. She passed away peacefully on Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.
Gwendolyn, affectionally known as "Gwen" is the daughter of Georgia Edith and Willie Ray Blackburn, Sr., was born on Sept. 25, 1964, in San Fransico, California. She graduated from West Valley High School in 1982 before attending Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. She would eventually earn her Bachelor of Arts in broadcast journalism from the University of Alaska.
She worked for various media companies as a reporter, producer, and editor in Austin, Texas; Clarksville, Tennessee; and Fairbanks, Alaska, before establishing Watch Me Shine Now, LLC Media Group while living in Atlanta, Georgia.
She was a loving, kind, supportive, and proud mother to her only child, Havean Nicholas-Drew Blackburn, as well as an avid birder (Creamer's Field Migratory) and Scrabble player.
As a dedicated community advocate, she volunteered for organizations such as Dress for Success, the Black Arts Movement, SXSW Blacks in Technology, TEDx Peachtree, the Atlanta Film Society, and Lights Camera Atlanta.
She is survived by her loving son, Havean, of Austin, Texas; three brothers and two sisters who cherish her memory, Lester V. Blackburn of Fairbanks, Alaska; Willie R. Blackburn, Jr. (Debra) of Fairbanks, Alaska; Benjamin R. Blackburn of Fairbanks, Alaska; Jacqueline M. Bradley of Houston, Texas; and Maryline Blackburn of Smyrna, Georgia.
She is also remembered with love by her nieces and nephews, Katina, Glenn, Larisa, Casey, Rosemary, Willie III, Whitne', Anthony, Quinton, and Zavier; and several great-nieces and nephews, including Calvin Joseph, Tyler Joseph, Isaac Matthew, and Donte Treyvon, Lailah Wade, Alainah Rose, Camila Marisol, and Ezra Mae.
Funeral arrangements have been scheduled for 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, at Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Mt. Hermon, Louisiana. Eulogy by Pastor Joe Blackburn of Mount Pleasant Baptist Church of Fairbanks, Alaska.
Please sign the guestbook at: www.crainandsons.com.