Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.10.1982, Blaðsíða 7

WINNIPEG, FÖSTUDAGUR 15. OKTÓBER 1982-7
OBITUAR Y
Art Reykdal 1922-1982
I am very proud to be able to say
"I counted him as one of my very
best friends." Not only was he a
true friend, he was also one of the
most gifted men I have ever known.
His many somewhat varied talents
were tremendous.
Art Reykdal was, without ques-
tion, one of the most brilliant Icelan-
dic Canadians of our third genera-
tion in this country. Not only had he
mastered his trade of printing (lino-
typing) better than most, he has also
been an incurable scribbler from a
very early age, both of prose and of
poetry. On top of all this he was a
born humorist and always seemed
to see first the funny side of every
question. This sometimes led him
into hot water by being too sar-
castic, too cutting, in some of his
writings. As he grew older however,
he mellowed to the degree that he
had become a very fine writer of
both prose and poetry.
Although Art never seemed to
have appreciated very much having
been brought up in Winnipeg. He
always used to say to me "I wish I
had been raised in Lundar, like you,
Gus." He moved with his family
from Lundar to Winnipeg in 1928
when he was six years old. He
however gained many advantages
from this. By this I mean he had the
opportunity of meeting most, if not
all, of' the prominent Icelanders of
our first and second generation.
Editors, writers, poets, musicians,
doctors, ministers, lawyers, busi-
ness men and farmers. Especially so
when working at Columbia Press
while learning his trade. Most of
these were good men, and true,
many of whom he counted as his
dearest friends of his earlier years to
his dying day. For example, Dr.
Sigurdur Julius Johannesson, Ole
Hallsson, S.K. Hall Heimir
Thorgrimsson, Will Kristjansson,
Rev. Phillip Petursson and several
others.
All of Art Reykdal's published
works were published by himself in
the '50s. Not only that, they were
typeset and printed with his own
hands and are a fine credit to his
many skills. They include "Vaga-
bond" a magazine of three issues
1951, "On Track and Field" 1953,
a story of the Grettir Amateur
Athletic Association of Lundar (76
pages) and "Autobiography Of A
Damned Fool" 1955 (361 pages).
But what of his more serious
Art Reykdal
writings, say between 1955 and
1982, very little of which ever has
been published?
I do know there existed, at the
time of his death, eight or ten books,
bound and closely typed on both
sides of the page, by himself approx-
imately 200 to 260 pages each. They
are at present in his home in Edmon-
ton but were dedicated in his will to
his foster son Grant Stevens of High
Level, Alberta, who of course, has
full control of them.
Grant Stevens, by the way, was a
boy in Atikokan, Ontario years ago
when Art first worked there, and
although Art was a bachelor all his
life, he took Grant under his wing,
educated him and brought him to
manhood. Grant Stevens has been a
school teacher and an educator, but
is at present a salesman for a
business firm in High Level. He is
MESSUBOÐ
Fyrsta Lúterska
Kirkja
JOHN V. ARVIDSON
PASTOR
10:30 a.m. The Service followed
by Sunday School & coffee hour.
“The Chapel founded by A.S. Bardal to provide warmth,
understanding and personal service within the means of all."
BARDAl FUNERAL HOME
AND CREMATORIUM
843 SHERBROOK STREET, WINNIPEG, MANITOBA
774-7474
married ánd has two children Craig
and Theresa.
It would seem an everlasting
shame, as fine a writer as Art
Reykdal was, if these eight or ten
books in manuscript form mentioned
ed above were never thoroughly in-
vestigated by some literary persons
or scholars.
Not only was Art Reykdal a great
Canadian, he was also a hard-work-
ing honest Icelander deep down at
the bone — but best of all he was a
thinker, especially so in the later
part of his life, and that is what our
world is sorely in need of these
days.
I take the liberty here to give two
quotations from Art Reykdal's un-
published poetry;
"How few think justly of the think-
ing few
How many never think but think
they do"
and
"I believe in love and duty
I believe in the true ánd just.
I believe in the common kinship
Of everything born from dust.
I believe thát right will triumph
That the sceptered wrong will fall,
That death will at last be conquered
And the grave does not end all."
Farewell old friend and God bless
your memory.
Gus Sigurdson
Business and
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Cimli Off ice - 3rd Ave and Centre St ,
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Hours 1 00 p m to 3:00 p m
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PAINTS
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P.O. Drawer 1400
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Telephone: 467-2344, 467-8931
Winnipeg Line: 475-9692
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every Thursday
144 Main Street Telephone: 886-3193
ALBERT W. EYOLFSON,
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Minnist’
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