Linda was born in Sydney on 15 December 1948. She came to Canberra early in her life and attended Turner primary and Lyneham high school. Linda studied geography honours at ANU, completed a Dip. Ed., and became a teacher. She met Fred in 1974, while they were both attending All Saints’ Ainslie. Fred was a member of the Royal Australian Navy posted to Canberra.
Fred and Linda built a rammed-earth house in Burra, with Linda working as a waitress at the Old Burra homestead—they kept cows, poultry and cats, and grew vegetables.
Linda trained for the ministry and was ordained deacon in 1991, serving in the parishes of South Queanbeyan, Kalleen, Ainslie and, for many years, St Philip's. She was a passionate advocate of freedom and equality, especially in support of refugees, LGBTI+ people, and indigenous peoples. Her twentieth anniversary of ordination was celebrated at St Philip's on 27 November 2011.
Linda was keen Biblical scholar, especially of the Old Testament and she preached at St Philip's. She initated this website in 2003 and made attentive notes of the sermons preached by Rob Lamerton at that time.
Linda lived with MS from 1994 onwards, with courage and considerable success at overcoming its trials. She died of a cancer in 2019.
Our beloved deacon, the Revd Linda Anchell, was farewelled in an overflowing church.