Lögberg-Heimskringla - 14.07.2006, Síða 14

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AWARDS
Jessica Elizabeth Comack Antony
Jessica Elizabeth Comack Antony
— granddaughter of Agnes Bardal
Comack and great-granddaughter of
Arinbjorn (Sigurgeirsson) and Margret
(Olafsdottir) Bardal — was awarded
the Gold Medal in Sociology (General
Program) at the University of Winnipeg’s
Spring Convocation.
Jessica completed her four-year
degree last summer with a double major
in Rhetoric and Communications and
Sociology. She completed a pre-Mas-
ters year in Sociology at the University
of Manitoba this past year.
This spring Jessica was awarded
a Social Sciences and Humanities Re-
search Council (SSHRC) Graduate
Fellowship. This fall she will begin the
Master’s program in Communications at
Concordia University, Montreal.
OBITUARY
Gestur Kristjansson
1922 – 2006
Gestur Kristjansson was born in
Winnipeg on 16 October 1922 to Lud-
wig and Gestny Kristjansson. Left to
mourn his passing are his beloved wife
Norma; children Heida Sigfusson (Skuli)
and Gestur Jr. (Elizabeth); grandchildren
Freya Sigfusson (James McInnis), Noni
Rosenblat (Daniel), Kristjan Sigfusson,
Hunter and Bryce Kristjansson, his
sister Bjorg Brownell. He was prede-
ceased by his brothers Kristinn (Irene)
and Vilberg (Barbara) and sisters Hilda
Blondahl (Valur), Sigga Ewert (William)
and Evelyn.
Words do not express the family’s
sadness and sense of loss surrounding
his tragic death. They wish to express
gratitude to the various authorities for
their continuing efforts to bring closure
to this matter.
Gestur attended Daniel McIntyre
Collegiate and worked with his dad plas-
tering and stuccoing many houses in the
West End of Winnipeg and the Interlake
area.
At the age of 17, he joined the
Royal Canadian Air Force to serve in the
Second World War and was stationed in
various centres teaching wireless radio
communications. He maintained a life-
long passion for all things mechanical
and credits the Forces for some of his
early training in this regard.
Following the war Gestur com-
pleted his high school diploma and went
on to the Faculty of Medicine at the Uni-
versity of Manitoba. He married Norma
Johnson on May 24, 1950. Two years lat-
er, after the birth of their daughter Heida,
the family moved to North Dakota where
Gestur set up practice and achieved his
American Medical Fellowship.
Upon return to Winnipeg, Ges-
tur practiced at the Osborne Medical
Centre and subsequently co-founded
Westbrook Medical Centre where he
practiced from 1960 to 1996. Gestur and
Norma had a son, Gestur Jr. in 1968. Dr.
Kristjansson maintained admitting privi-
leges at the Misericordia Hospital and
volunteered over many decades at the
Villa Rosa Home. He also volunteered
his services for the Shrine Circus and for
many professional and amateur sport-
ing teams in Winnipeg. Dr. Kristjansson
served as President for the General
Practitioners Association of Manitoba
and as a board member of Seven Oaks
Hospital for a number of years for which
he received recognition.
Outside of his profession Gestur
had many passions. In 1962 he built
his dream, a little log cabin at Lake of
the Woods. He also crafted two fireball
sailboats in his basement over the off-
season and became an accomplished
sailor, winning several provincial cham-
pionships and capturing the Canadian
Fireball Championship in 1967 with his
daughter Heida. He gave much back to
Canadian sailing — as a co-founder of
the Zig Zag Yacht Club at his beloved
Clearwater Bay as well as teaching boat
safety for the Canadian Power Squad-
ron Corps. He volunteered on the sailing
committee for the 1968 Pan Am Games,
establishing the Gimli Yacht Club as an
international sailing venue.
Gestur, although taking up golf
later in life, represented the province in
the Canadian Senior Championships
held in St. Andrews by the Sea and
competed in the tournament again in
1985 in Victoria. He loved to compete
with friends and in club events at both
St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg
and the Caloosa Golf and Country club
in Sun City Center, Florida, where he
made his winter home for the past four-
teen years. Many of his closest friends
were made on the golf course and he
will be missed in his weekly games,
both on the course and off.
Gestur embraced his Icelandic
heritage and will be remembered for
his active participation and involvement
in the Icelandic community; serving as
President of the Leif Eriksson Club;
Icelandic Canadian Frón; and serving
on the committee which unified the two
newspapers, Lögberg and Heimskringla.
Along with his wife Norma, he worked
to establish the Scandanavian Cultural
Centre.
Based in a deep appreciation of
nature and the outdoors, Gestur loved to
hunt and pursued upland and big game.
Gestur was an avid participant in curl-
ing, squash, bridge, billiards, chess and
fishing at various times during his life.
The thing not captured in his many
accomplishments is his true empathy
and deep appreciation for other people
and the human condition. Gestur was
as comfortable speaking with fellow
octogenarians as he was to children.
He was a student of life and people to
his end and the vigour and passion with
which he approached every situation
and exchange could be well emulated
by all. He excelled as a communica-
tor and mentor; inspiring and lending
support to his family, friends and as-
sociates; often conferring with his chief
confidant and moral compass, his wife
Norma.
We are grateful for all the moments
and memories. We are deeply saddened
by his passing and we wish him peace...
Góða nótt.
A memorial service to celebrate
Gestur’s life was held 11 a.m. Friday 7
July at First Lutheran Church, 580 Vic-
tor St.
In lieu of flowers, donations may
be made to the Dr. Gestur Kristjans-
son Fund, The Winnipeg Foundation,
1350 – 1 Lombard Place, Winnipeg,
R3B 0X3, or online at wpgfdn.org. Ex-
pressions of condolence may be sent to
condolences@nbardal.mb.ca
Neil Bardal Inc., in care of arrange-
ments.
14 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Friday 14 July 2006
The Lögberg-Heimskringla
Everything you need to know about events across North America — come out and have fun!
Send information to appear in the Calendar of Events to david@lh-inc.ca or fax to (204) 284-7099.
Events must be typed out as they are to appear; please include date, place, time and other particulars.
Print deadline is the Tuesday the week prior to the issue date. For more listings, visit our website at
www.lh-inc.ca.
Calendar of Events
ARTS
Until 31 August
Winnipeg, MB: “Dreams & Memories,” batik
works by Karen Johannsson at the Dr. Paul
H. T. Thorlakson Gallery at The Icelandic
Collection, Elizabeth Dafoe Library, Uni-
versity of Manitoba. For more information
contact Sigrid Johnson at (204) 474-6345 or
sigrid_johnson@umanitoba.ca.
FESTIVALS
July 20 – 29
Edmonton, AB: Capital EX, a public exhibi-
tion for the whole family, featuring the Global
Connections International Marketplace
in Northlands AgriCom, Hall A. Icelandic
goods, plus Icelandic fashion show featur-
ing contemporary Icelandic clothing July
21 and 22, at 5 p.m. and 9 p.m. For more
information, visit www.capitalex.ca.
August 4 – 6
Mountain, ND: 107th Annual Deuce of Au-
gust Icelandic Celebration, featuring street
dances to the music of 3 Dollar Molly; pa-
rade; genealogy centre, basketball tourna-
ment; kids’ games; Heritage Program with
keynote speaker Helgi Ágústsson, Iceland’s
Ambassador to the United States; concert
by Oðlingarnir choir from Iceland and local
entertainers; historic tours of the area; Old
Time Dance with Julie Lee and Her White
Rose Band; supper; worship service on
Sunday; ATV pulling contest; tractor pulling
contest; historical display; and much more.
For more information, visit www.august2nd.
com/.
August 4 – 7
Gimli, MB: 117th Annual Íslendingada-
gurinn, the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba,
featuring midway and rides; Rock the Dock,
Viking Encampment; pancake breakfast;
sandcastle contest; Íslendingadunk; Satur-
day Night on the Pier; Music on the Rooftop;
10 mile road race; fine art show, Fris-Nok
tournament; Alternative Folk Festival; Celeb-
rity Concert; parade; Amma’s Kitchen; Tradi-
tional Program; and much more. For more
information, visit www.icelandicfestival.com/.
August 5 – 7
Edmonton, AB: Heritage Festival at Wil-
lial Hawrelak Park, featuring dozens of pa-
vilions representing different cultures. The
Norðurljós Icelandic Society of Edmonton
will take part along with the Scandinavian
Heritage Society of Edmonton, offering a
glimpse into Scandinavian and Icelandic
culture. For more information, visit www.heri-
tage-festival.com.
August 6 – 19
Winnipeg, MB: Folklorama, Winnipeg’s
multicultural festival, at various locations
throughout the city. “Visit” dozens of countries
by taking in performances, displays and food
at the many pavilions. Iceland will be repre-
sented with the organization of the Icelandic
Canadian Frón at the Scandinavian Pavilion
at the Scandinavian Centre, 764 Erin Street
Located at Wolever and Erin. More info TBA,
or visit www.folklorama.ca.
October 14
Minot, ND: The Minot Icelandic Heritage So-
ciety holds its annual Coffee Samkoma, 9:30
a.m. – 12 noon. Enjoy Icelandic food and fel-
lowship. Everyone welcome.
MOVIES
August 1 – 5
Gimli, MB: 6th annual Gimli Film Festival at
various locations in Gimli, including the New
Iceland Heritage Museum and Gimli Beach.
For more information, visit www.gimlifilmfes-
tival.com.
MUSEUMS
Until September 5
Gimli, MB: The New Iceland Heritage
Musuem will feature a travelling exhibit on
Iceland’s literary legacy, sponsored by the
Government of Iceland. For details, visit
www.nihm.ca.
MUSIC
Doc Walker tour dates:
July 18 — Special Olympic National Sum-
mer Games *Televised* Brandon, MB
July 21 — Neepawa Lily Festival, Yellow-
head Arena, Neepawa, MB
August 6 — Grizfest, Grizfest Festival
Grounds, Tumbler Ridge, BC
August 11 – 12 — Hamilton, ON at Festival
Of Friends
Lindy tour dates:
July 14 — Glossop, UK at Moon and Six-
pence
July 15 — Charlbury, UK at Rose and
Crown
July 18 — London, UK at 12 Bar
July 19 — Carling Islington Academy
July 22 — Brockville - Keystorm
July 29 — Orono - Liberty Festival
Weakerthans tour dates:
July 14 — 8 p.m., The Paradise, Boston, MA
at Paradise Rock Club with Greg Graf-
fin and New Amsterdams
July 15 — Bourbon Street N., St. Adele, QC
with The Tragically Hip
July 28 – 30 — Harbourfront Centre, To-
ronto, ON, “From the ‘Peg”
August 2 — London, UK at Meanfiddler
with TOMTE
August 3 — Amsterdam, Holland at Parad-
iso Club with TOMTE
August 4 — Gilde Park Bühne, Hanover,
Germany — GHVC Festival
August 5 — Kaiserthermen, Trier, Ger-
many — GHVC Festival
August 6 — Museumsmeile, Bonn, Ger-
many — GHVC Festival
August 7 — Heidelberg, Germany at Karl-
storbahnhof
August 8 — Wien, Austria at Flex
August 9 — Luzern, Switzerland at
Schüür
August 11 — Santander, Spain at D’
Manu
August 12 — St. Feliu, Spain at Festival
August 13 — Castellon, Spain at Groovy
Club
August 15 — Paris, France at TBA
August 16 — Würzburg, Germany at AKW
August 17 — Berlin, Germany) at Kato
August 18 — Erfurt, Germany at Highfield
Festival
SPORTS
Friday 4 August
Gimli, MB: Sixth annual Icelandic Open
Golf Tournament in support of Lögberg-
Heimskringla, held at Links on the Lake.
Registration 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Tee
off 11 a.m. Shotgun start. Texas Scramble,
18 holes, cart provided. Cost: $175.00 per
person. Dinner to follow at Johnson Hall
6 p.m. DRESS CODE: Collared shirts, no
jeans. Don’t delay — this event always sells
out! For more information or to register, call
Registration Chairman Brian Tomasson
at (204) 663-2901; Audrey Juve Kwasnica
(204) 927-5642; or visit www.lh-inc.ca/golf.
asp.
Saturday 12 August
Chicago, IL: The Second Annual Greater
Chicago Icelandic Open begins at 2 p.m.
Texas Scramble (Best Ball) without handi-
cap, in teams of two players. Indian Bound-
ary Golf Course, 8600 W. Forest Preserve
Avenue, Chicago, Phone: (773) 625-9630.
The fee is $30 per person; carts are $16,
but walking is quite feasible. To sign up send
your cheque to Larry Shaw, 147 N. Buck-
ingham Drive, Prestbury-Aurora, IL 60506,
ASAP, deadline July 15, 2006. If you need a
partner to play with we’ll find you one.
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of experience Inland
ensures that
customers receive
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services for all types
of construction
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projects.
Aggregates
Phone: (204) 224-4255
Fax: (204) 224-3431
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Phone: (204) 339-9213
Fax: (204) 334-7957
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Phone: 1-800-252-9304
Fax: (204) 334-5900
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