Lögberg-Heimskringla - 02.10.1992, Page 6

6 • LSgberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 2. október 1992
OBITUARY:
Svein Olafur Sigfusson
After a brief illness, on Sunday,
September 20th at the Seven Oaks
Hospital, Svein Sigfusson of St.
Andrews, Manitoba passed away at
the age of 80 years while surrounded
by the love of his family.
Svein was born on July 15, 1912,
to Skuli & Gudrun Sigfusson, who
were Icelandic pioneers in Lundar,
Manitoba. He leaves to treasure his
memory his wife Thelma of 51 years;
children Skuli (Heida) of Winnipeg;
Darlene of Vancouver; Linda (Ray)
Gawryluk of St. Andrews; Louis
(Doug) Carpenter of Florida. Six
grandchildren; Freya, Noni and
Kristjan Sigfusson; Jeremy and Ryan
Gawryluk, and Thor Carpenter. Two
brothers Siggi (Mattie) of Lundar,
Tom of Winnipeg; two sisters Maria
of Iceland, Olof (Don) Bertram of
Nanaimo, B.C. and sister in law
Thelma Sigfusson of Lundar. He was
predeceased by his son Charles in
April 1992; brothers Arthur, 1982
and Skuli, 1980.
After farming and fishing in the
Lundar area with his brothers, Svein
went North with his brother Skuli in
1942 to develop a fishing industry on
Reindeer Lake. From this beginning
he moved into freighting by tractor
train, and over the next 33 years he
developed a road system extending
3,560 miles across the northern
region of Manitoba, Saskatchewan
and Ontario. In 1957 he introduced
the first large diesel trucks into north-
em Manitoba and Ontario on winter
roads. As President of Sigfusson
Transportation Co. Ltd., he employed
over 400 people of whom over 50%
were of native origin. For Svein’s
hard work and dedication to north-
em development he was inducted as
a Member of the Order of Canada in
1974 and in 1970 received a
Centennial Commemorative award
from the Manitoba Historical Society
for his work in the north. In 1970 the
CBC portrayed Svein and the
Sigfusson Transportation Co. Ltd. on
the TV program This Land. Also bio-
graphical articles were published in
The Canadian Magazine, Chicago
Sunday Tribune, and several other
publications.
Svein had a varied and rewarding
life and was proud of his Icelandic
heritage. He had a lifelong interest in
Norse mythology. He was a man of
incredible talents. Svein logged more
than 5,000 hours of bush flying in
Northem Canada. As a road contrac-
tor he built various highways in
Manitoba, Saskatchewan and
Alberta. He was an avid hunter and
enjoyed the outdoors. He was a
member of Patricia Masonic Lodge
#125.
As a Canadian athlete, Svein
Sigfusson won his first gold medal in
the Hammer throw in Saskatoon in
1938. Over a 16 year span Svein won
8 Manitoba Championship, and 9
Canadian Championships in the
hammer and discus throws. In 1950
at the British Empire Games in New
Zealand he won a bronze medal in
the discus. In 1982 he was inducted
into the Manitoba Sports Hall of
Fame. He was an Honourary mem-
ber of the Commonwealth Games
Assoc. of Canada and a board mem-
ber of the Manitoba Sports Hall of
Fame and Museum, Inc.
Svein’s latest accomplishment was
the writing of his book Sigfusson’s
Roads which was published by Wat-
By Helga Sigurdson
On behalf of the Lundar Chapter
of the Icelandic National League, I
thank the University of Iceland
Chamber choir who privileged us with
a visit, July 29, 1992.
They arrived in the aftemoon from
Winnipeg with my daughter, Linda
Collette, and entertained at the
Lundar Personal Care Home, then
Upcoming lecture
by Viðar Hreinsson
In August 1992, Mr. Viðar
Hreinsson, mag. art., was appoint-
ed assistant professor in the
Department of Icelandic Language
and Literature at the University of
Manitoba. The Department would
like to extend to you the opportu-
nity to meet Mr. Viðar Hreinsson
by inviting you to:
The Power of the Word: Some
Reflections on “The Icelandic
Academy” — a lecture by
Professor Viðar Hreinsson,
Department of Icelandic Language
and Literature, on Friday, October
9, 1992, at 7:30 p.m. in the Senior
Common Room at the University
College, University of Manitoba.
There is a reception to follow in
the Senior Common Room.
Admission is free, with free park-
ing in B-Lot.
This is sponsored by the
Department of Icelandic Language
and Literature.
Please RSVP by October 6 to
474-9551 if you wish to attend.
son and Dwyer, Winnipeg, in 1992.
Svein was a hard working, loving,
kind husband, father and grandfather
who will be sadly missed.
Funeral service was held at 11
o’clock a.m., Friday, September 25,
1992 at First Lutheran Church, 580
Victor Street with the Rev. Ingthor
performed an evening concert in the
Lundar Hall. Before the concert they
enjoyed a buffet supper provided by
the Chapter and were thus introduced
to jellied salads. The impromptu musi-
cal selections over the coffee cups
after the concert were much appreci-
ated by an enthusiastic audience and
we were reluctant to have them leave
for Winnipeg.
The choir conductor, Ferenc
Utassy, brought greetings from Rev.
Bragi Friðriksson, pastor of Garðar
Church in Iceland where Ferenc is
organist. Rev. Bragi served as pastor
of the Lundar Lutheran Church in the
Isfeld officiating. Interment was at
Clarkleigh Cemetery at 3 o’clock
p.m.
Thank you to the doctors and
nurses at the Seven Oaks Hospital
for their care and compassion.
NEIL BARDAL INC.
949-2200
early fifties and conducted the ser-
vices in both Icelandic and English.
He has served as chairman of the
Icelandic National League in
Reykjavík, stressing co-operation
between Icelanders and North
Americans of Icelandic descent.
The choir takes back our warm
wishes and their memories of bright
sunshine, conversations in Icelandic,
and feelings of kinship. Before depart-
ing Lundar, they stopped at the
Icelandic Pioneer Memorial and the
Centennial Sundial for picture taking.
Our thanks to Helga Anderson for
all her work in organizing this choir’s
tour. They were Iceland’s true ambas-
sadors.
Upcoming Events
Fri., Oct 9
Winnipeg
Fri., Oct. 9
Winnipeg
Sat., Oct 10
British Columbia
Oct 15 -18
Calgary
Thurs., Oct 22
Vancouver
Sat., Oct 24
Winnipeg
□ □ O
Leif Eirikson Dinner, at the Scandinavian Centre, tickets $16.
at Scandinavian Centre or at door. Reception 6 pm, dinner 7
pm. Guest speaker John Harvard, M.P.
o □ o
Lecture with Viðar Hreinsson, ‘The Power of the Word:
Some Reflections on “The Icelandic Academy”, 7:30 p.m. in
the Senior Common Room, University College, U of M.
Reception to follow. Free admission. Free parking B-Lot.
Please RSVP by Oct. 6 to 474-9551.
O □ □
Open House atthe Icelandic Horse Farm, in Lavington, B.C.
just east of Vemon. 1-4 p.m. Call Robyn & Christine 545-
2336.
□ □ □
Variety of Nations Viking Pavilion, at the Scandinavian Ctre.
Organized to assist sick children; and an excellent chance to
experience Icelandic food with displays and sale table.
□ □ □
Sólskin’s 75th Anniversary Dinner & Open House, at Höfn,
sponsored by Höfn board. Open house 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm,
Dinner 6:30 pm.
□ □ □
MagnusEliasonAwardBanquet, 6:30p.m.attheScandinavian
Cultural Centre. Tickets ($40.) mustbereserved early. Phone
Neil Bardal at 949-2200 or Scandinavian Centre at 774-8047.
Letter of Thanks