Lögberg-Heimskringla - 17.11.1989, Page 7

Lögberg - Heimskringla • Föstudagur 17. nóvember 1989 • 7
News from Calgary
CourtesY of Leif Eiriksson lcelandic Club of Calgary's Newsletter
Mary Stewart
Personality in Profile
by Frlda Abrahamson
Mary was born in July, 1911, in
Winnipeg, Manitoba, one of sbc children
born to Guðlaug Helga Thorleifsdóttir
(1876-1955) and Sigurður Frímann
Sigurðsson (1872-1951). Guðlaug Helga
moved to Winnipeg from Hafnir, North
Hiínavatnssysla, Iceland in 1888. There
she met and married Sigurður Fríman
who had moved to Baldur, Manitoba from
Mefrakkaslétta, North Thingeyjarsýsla,
Iceland in 1876.Theyoungcoupleadopted
Freeman as their stuname.
The Freemans moved their family
to Fairford, Manitoba in 1915, in hopes of
maldng a better living on a 1/4 section of
land acquired through a relative; the only
snag encountered after arriving to Fair-
ford was the revelation that 75% of said
land resided under the waters of Lake
Manitoba! The family then moved to the
northem tip of the Lake to a spot that,
according to Mary, “really had no name”.
Nor did it have a school; consequently
most of Mary’s education came (in true
Icelandic tradition) from reading every-
thing in sight “We didn’t have many books,
so I just read the same ones over and
over”, says Mary. She did a good job of
educating herself and after the family
retumed to the Winnipeg area in 1924
Mary moved through the school system
and quickly made up for lost tíme. The
crash of ’29 left littíe opportunity for Mary
to practíse her business skills and during
the ensuing years her abilities as a dress-
maker kept her steadily employed - for 25
cents an hour!
During a period in the early 30’s,
when Maiy was ill for a few months, she
received an encouraging letter from a
girlfriend’s brother, a man she had never
met.Thus beganher romance with Archie
Stewart. Mary and Archie marriedin 1940
and moved to Medicine Hat, Alberta,
where they lived for 18 years and had
three daughters - Mary Lynne and twins
Lana and Daryl; in 1958 they moved to
Calgary. Archie’s work as a CPR fireman
and later, engineer was not kind to him
and he died of lung cancer in 1971.
In the fall of 1972 Mary went to an
Intematíonal Food Fair at the Jubilee
Auditorium; while browsing near the Ice-
landic booth she was greeted by Amy
MacDonald, secretary ofthe newly formed
Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club. Soon after,
Mary met founding President Sam Aust-
man, and Louise, and has been an integral
Upcoming Events
Every Thursday Icelandic Candian Frón Icelandic Language Classes are held
7 p.m. at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre, 764 Erin St., Wpg.
Eveiyone is welcome to attend
□ □ □
Sept. 23-Nov. 25 Icelandic Classes - Oakridge Lutheran Church, Vancouver
9:30--12noon ICC of BC, 585 W 41st Avenue, Vancouver
□ □ □
Friday, Nov. 17 Icelandic Candian Frón’s Haustfagnaður Potluck Supper fol-
lowed by dancing. Tickets $5. at the door. Scandinavian
Centre, 764 Erin St, Wpg.
□ □ □ .
Sat., Nov. 18 First Lutheran Church Tea - 24p.m., 580 Victor St., Wpg.
□ □ □
Nov. 21, 8p.m. Plans “in the works” to have Canada Council sponsor an event
vnihNelson Gerrard, Icelandicgenealogist,writer&historian.
Contact: Program Chairperson, David Scarth, 108 Summerhill
Ave., Toronto, Ont M4T1B2 or 929-0509.
□ □ □
Nov. 23, lla.m. Höfn Annual General Meeting, Sólskin, 2020 Harrison Dr.,
Vancouver
□ □ □
Dec. 2 Xmas Tea & Bake Sale lla.m.-lp.m., Oakridge Lutheran
Church (W/A.), 585 W. 41st Ave., Van.
V □ □ □
Sat., Dec. 9 X-mas Party, Leif Eriksson Icelandic Club of Calgary at the
Calgary Scandinavian Centre, 739-20 Avenue N.W.
□ □ □
Sun., Dec. lö Xmas Party - 24:30p.m., McKernan Hall, 114 St. & 78 Ave.,
Edmonton. Santafor kids, carols & who knows what! Contribu-
tíons for coffee welcome. Skating outdoors if weather permits.
□ □ □
Sim., Dec. 10 Annual Family Xmas Party - 2 p.m., First Lutheran Church,
580 Victor St., Wpg.
□ □ □
Dec. 15 Höfn Xmas Party 2-3:30 p.m., Sólsldn, (for residents) 2020
Harrison Dr., Vancouver
□ □ □
Dec. 17 Xmas Party Bumaby Lake Pavillion, Roberts St., off Sperling
Avenue, ICC of BC
part of the life of our club ever since. Mary
recalls her first Christmas Party where
Margret Geppertreadily accepted her offer
to help in the ldtchen and presented her
with a leg of lamb to slice. Joined in this
task by Louise Wilton, conversatíon be-
tween the two newcomers revealed they
were cousins who had never met or known
of each other’s existence!
Mary, along with the late Ruth
Sigurdson, Lucille Lane and Thora Moir,
founded a Ladies Handicraft Group that
for years generated funds for the Club’s
operatíon and stímulated the preserva-
tíon of Icelandic culture. The Handicraft
Group expanded in number over the years
and held several very successful bazaars.
A special memory of this Group for Mary
is that in all her years of involvement “...
every person who was asked to help never
Donations to
Lögberg-Heimskringla Inc.
Ólafur T. & Sena Kristjanson,
Edmonton..................$100.00
In memory of Einar Isfeld
James & Gerdur Harris........$30.00
In memory of Helga Finnson
James & Gerdur Harris......$20.00
In memoryofMrs. Karen Wilkinson and
Terry Murphy (nee Wilkinson)...
The lcelandic National League,
Gimli Chapter..............$50.00
said no - the women and their husbands
were always right there to do whatever
was needed for every project we under-
took”. Mary was made an Honourary
Member of the Club in 1981 and through
the years has lent support, encourage-
ment and wise counsel. Mary is also an
excellent potter and has in the past year
done some very innovatíve ceramic mu-
rals and raku work.
Her interest in the preservation of
the Icelandic culture, along with her very
progressiveviewofthefuture, makeMary
a wonderful choice for Alberta’s Fjallkona
for 1989-90. In this special year of the visit
ofPresidentVigdisFinbogadóttírwewere
exceedingly proud to have someone rep-
resent us all in such an elegant and digni-
fied manner.
It seems especially fitting to be
writing this pr ofile onThanksgiving Day-
and to be able to say Thank You, Mary
Stewart, for sharing yourself so gener-
ously with all of us - Guð Blessi pig.
Ella Swanson
Memorial Bursaries
Sue Davidson and Margaret Kamer
receiving their Ella Swanson Memorial
Bursaries from Mrs. R. Magnusson
The “Brúin” chapter of Selkirk pre-
sented the annual Ella Swanson memorial
bursaries to two students fo Icelandic
descent that are furthering their educa-
tion.
They are: Sue Davidson, the daugh-
ter of Margaret and Eric Davidson, her
grandparents were the late Emil and Lila
Davidson of Selkirk. Margaret Kamer is
the daughter of Elizabeth and Joseph
Kamer of Petersfield. Her grandparents
were the late Agust Thidrikson and
Gudrún (Reykdal) Thidrikson.
Submitted by Gudrún Dryden
750,000 Heritage Image Pride
700,000- 650,000 A Campaign To Raise Funds For The Chair of Icelandic Language and Lilerature At The University of Manitoba
Yes, I wish to make a donation to ensure that the chair of lcelandic Language and Literature at the University of Mamtoba continues to serve the needs o< the lcelan-

600,000- dic community ,of North America
NAME
550,000- ADDRESS
500,000-
450,000- ■ PHONE NO. Donation m honour of Fjallkona Fund ;
400,000-
Other
350,000- Please mail this form with your donation to
The H I P Committee. <501-55 Donald Street, Wmmpeg, Mamtoba R3C 1L8
300,000- Ipledge: n Q □ □
250,000- $100.00 $50000 $1,000.00 Olher $ .
i I intend to honor my pledge in the following manner: ! J Payment in full (cheque enclosed).
200,000-
Original □ By annual payment of $ _ in each of the next _____ years
150,000- 218,000 (first paymenl enclosed)
100,000 Fund .□ Through a bequest in my will. Siqnature
sn nnn All cheques should be made payable to the Umversity of Mamtoba An income tax receipt will be mailed to you