Lögberg-Heimskringla - 04.07.1968, Blaðsíða 5

LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, FIMMTUDAGINN 4. JÚLÍ 1968 5
Farewell service of Reverend Haraldur Sigmar, 1926
Rev. J. Denischuk, C.Ss.R.
It was a sad moment when
42 years ago, on Sunday, Aug.
I) 1926, at 2.00 p.m. the His-
toric Bell rang at the Emman-
uol Lutheran Church in Wyn-
yard for the Farewell Service
°f Rev. Haraldur Sigmar; but,
Jt was a significant moment
f°r it recalled memories and
filled the hearts of the faith-
ful with emotions of admira-
tion and thanksgiving.
While making a research on
the history of the Bell the
above photograph was found
in the home of Ted Josephson
in Mozart, Sask. It was taken
hy E. G. Brand in Wynyard on
this memorable day. With the
help of the good people of
^ynyard we have tried to
identify the people on this
Photograph by enumerating
them from left to right — first
the men, then the ladies, and
then the children. If anyone
can give us more information
Please do so.
The men: 1 Árni Eggertson,
^ Mundi Goodman, 3 Henry
(Dad) Einarson, 4 unknown, 5
hiýmundur Jósephson, 6 Har-
ald Guðmundson, 7 Gunnstein
'lohnson, 8 Barney Johnson
and baby Gwen, 9 unknown,
1° Rev. Haraldur Sigmar and
baby Margrét, 11 Ted Einar-
s°n, 12 Harold Helgason and
s°0. Harold, 13 Olgeir Gunn-
laugson, 14 Bjarni Sturlaug-
Soti, 15 Walter Swinburnson,
Kristinn Johnson, 17 Sig-
Balwinson, 18 Guðlaugur
■^ústjánson (the Bell ringer),
Steingrímur (Stoni) John-
Soir, 20 Steini Gauti, 21 Gunn-
ar Jóhannson, 22 Paul West-
^al> 23 Gísli Benedictson, 24
r a n d u r Swinburnson, 25
Dolmeir (Hommi) Holmes, 26
lljörleifur Hjörleifson (Mart-
in), 27 Gestur Dalman, 28
Steingrímur (Grimsi) Johnson,
29 Brynjólfur Johnson, 30
Stephan Stephanson, 31 Bjössi
Goodman, 32 Gunnar Guð-
mundson, 33 Thorfinnur (Ted)
Josephson, 34 Skúli Bachman
35 Sigurður Sölvason, 36 John
Sölvason, 37 Barney Joseph-
son, 38 Thorbergur Halldór-
son.
The Ladies: 1 Dora Bjarna-
son, 2 unknown, 3 Augusta
Tallman, 4 Margaret Sölva-
son, 5 Salbjörg Mercer, 6 Jó-
hanna Sölvason, 7 Margaret
Sigmar (Mrs. H. Sigmar),, 8
Guðný Jósephson, 9 Kristín
Gunnlaugson, 10 Sólveig Bald-
winson, 11 Helga Westdal, 12
Soffía Johnson, 13 Áslaug
Gauti, 14 Ástbjörg Jóhannson
and baby Valdís, 15 Dómhild-
ur Johnson, 16 Rúna Bene-
dictson, 17 Jónína Eyolfson, 18
Jónína Einarson, 19 Gertie
Kristjánson, 20 Thora Jóhann
son, 21 Setselja Johnson, 22
Valgerður Fredrickson, 23
Herborg Holmes, 24 Sigga
Kristjánson, 25 Kristín Krist-
janson, 26 Pauline Helgason,
27 María Swinburnson, 28 un-
known, 29 Bína Johnson, 30
Thorey Sölvason, 31 Guðný
Johnson, 32 Ragnheiður Krist-
janson, 33 unknown, 34 Rósa
Jóhanneson, 35 Margaret Jós-
ephson, 36 Kristín Guðmund
son, 37 Día Jóhannson, 38
Thura Johnson, 39 Dóra Gunn-
laugson, 40 Jóhanna Gunn-
laugson, 41 Kristbjörg Gunn-
laugson.
The children: 1 E r 1 i n g
Bjarnason, 2 Arthur Hjálmar
son, 3 Emil Bjarnason, 4 Wil
son Jósephson, 4 Valdimar
Bjarnason, 6 Eric Sigmar, 7
H a r o 1 d Sigmar, 8 Mona
Bjarnason, 9 Gunnar Jóhann-
son, 10 Lillian Talman, 11 Ein-
ar Johnson, 12 Sveinn West-
dal, 13 Björgvin Westdal, 14
unknown, 15 Harold Skordal,
16 unknown, 17 Svava Magnú-
son, 18 Kristrún Johnson, 19
Albert Swinburnson, 20
Margaret Swinburnson, 21
Kart Skordal, 22 Friðrik Jós-
ephson, 23 Allan Goodman, 24
unknown, 25 unknown, 26 un-
known, 27 Arlan Bjarnason, 28
Lorne Benedictson.
Besides the people we have
identified we wish to mention
the names of certain people
we know were present at this
Farewell Service, but cannot
be clearly seen on this picture:
Oddný Garick (o r g a n i s t),
Elizabeth Johnson, Maja Egg-
ertson, Sigga Westdal, Gordon
Talman, Richard Talman, Sam
Sölvason, Richard Mercer and
Norman Einarson.
As mentioned this Farewell
Service was held in Wynyard
August 1, 1926 at 2.00 p.m. On
the same day at 11.00 a.m. in
the morning a similar Fare-
well Service was held at
Kandahar, and 500 p.m. after
dinner at Mozart. The fare-
well celebrations, however,
began the previous Sunday,
July 25th. We were happy to
find a clipping from the Wyn-
yard Advance which explains
so eloquently what transpired
on that day. We quote: “The
Lakeshore, on Sunday after-
noon, was the scene of a most
memorable gathering and one
which will long be in the
hearts of the Icelandic people
of Wynyard and surrounding
districts.
It was occasioned by the ap-
proaching departure of the
Rev. H. and Mrs. Sigmar and
the number of people who
gathered to do honor to the
departing pair was in itself a
striking expression of the re-
gard and friendship in which
Rev. and Mrs. Sigmar are held
here. Considerably over 100
cars were on the grounds re-
presenting an attendance of
about 500 people. Mr. St.
Johnson’s Beach was the ga-
thering place, and there, in
the grateful shade of the trees,
friends met and talked in the
good old Icelandic fashion,
heart to heart, under the open
sky.
A platform had been prepar-
er for the speakers and guests
of honor, and the meeting took
form of a Sunday afternoon
service under the chairman-
ship of Mr. J. B. Jónsson of
Kandahar.
The Male Chorus, with Mrs.
B. Hjálmarson conducting,
rendered a number of excell-
ent selections.
Following these opening ex-
ercises the main purpose of
the meeting was unfolded—
the presentation of the gift to
Rev. and Mrs. Sigmar from
the people of the four con-
gregations served by Rev. Sig-
mar. The first to speak was
Mr. G. Benedictson represent-
ing the Wynyard congrega-
tion who made the presenta-
tion speech and in the name of
the congregations presented
Rev. and Mrs. Sigmar with a
lovely sterling silver tea set.
Mr. J. Sveinbjörnson then
spoke on behalf of the Elfros
congregation, Mr. Th. Einar-
son for Mozart and Mr. J. B.
Jónsson for Kandahar, all
paying generous tribute to
Rev. Sigmar as their minister.
The Rev. Fr. Friðriksson also
spoke on behalf of the Quill
Lake congregation, expressing
the goodwill of the people and
the friendliness which had al-
ways existed between himself
and Rev. Sigmar.
Following Rev. Friðrikson,
Mr. Walter Swinbjörnson de-
livered a striking eulogy on
Mrs. Sigmar and the sterling
qualities of character which
had endeared her to the peo-
ple of this district.
Taking Rev. Sigmar as a
Minister, as a Citizen and as
a Man, Mr. B. Hjálmarson
ably alucidated the all-round
character of their guest of
honor. He outlined the diffi-
cult tasks which a minister
has to face and showed how
excellently fitted Rev. Sigmar
was for that calling. As a
citizen and as a man also Rev.
Sigmar has taken a very high
place in the community, he
said, commanding the regard
and respect of all with whom
he came in contact.
Replying, Rev. Sigmar
thanked them all for the
kindness which had been
shown to himself and his fam-
ily during his 17 years of ser-
vice in the district. He outlin-
ed the reasons which had led
him to take his present course
in leaving Wynyard and hav-
ing ernaestly considered all
things he felt that it was
God’s will and that it would
be best for all concerned.
Thereafter, lunch was par-
taken of and enjoyed by all
and the meeting ended amid
general expression of friend-
liness.
The following Monday, July
26, the Wynyard Board of
Trade held a meeting in the
T. B. Baker’s Office, and it
was decided on behalf of the
citizens of Wynyard to make
a presentation to Rev. H. Sig-
mar on the occasion of his
leaving the district. A com-
Framhald á bls. 7.