Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.01.2007, Page 7

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Lögberg-Heimskringla • 15. janúar 2007 • 7
the Ninette Sanitorium in
southern Manitoba for treat-
ment. In 1925, the Freemans
moved to Winnipeg so Runie
could come back home to
live with her family. Unfortu-
nately, Runie did not recover
from tuberculosis and died at
home, one year later.
In 1928, a sister named
Margaret also contracted tu-
berculosis. Sadly, she suc-
cumbed to the terrible disease
and passed away the follow-
ing year. In the early 1930s,
both of Mary’s brothers were
stricken with tuberculosis and
spent several years in Ninette.
Mary’s parents were greatly
relieved that Dori recovered
from it, but were devastated
to learn that their last child,
Mary, had come down with
tuberculosis in 1934. Mary
spent a month in a Winni-
peg Hospital and then on
Christmas Day, was taken to
Ninette by the head doctor of
that sanitorium. (Skuli never
recovered from tuberculosis
and died at home in 1949).
While Mary was getting
treatment at Ninette, she re-
ceived a nice letter from a
friend, Archie Stewart. Be-
fore her illness, Mary had met
Archie at a party at his sister’s
house.
The letter was so kind and
thoughtful that Mary decided
to meet with him when she
was well enough to return
home. Mary was fortunate to
recover after six months of
treatment.
She renewed her acquain-
tance with Archie soon after-
wards. Mary and Archie were
married in Winnipeg in Au-
gust of 1940.
Prior to his marriage to
Mary, Archie was a fireman
with the Canadian Pacific
Railway (CPR) in Lethbridge,
Alberta. He was offered (and
accepted) the same position
with the CPR in Medicine
Hat, AB, not long before he
and Mary were married. The
newlyweds moved to Medi-
cine Hat just a few days after
their wedding.
Mary and Archie enjoyed
their move to Medicine Hat
and lived there for 18 years.
During this time, they had
three daughters: Mary Lynn,
Daryl and Lana. The Stewarts
took advantage of the free
train travel offered to CPR
employees and their families.
Their occasional trips to vari-
ous places in Canada created
special memories and en-
abled them to keep in touch
with their Manitoba family
and friends. Archie wrote his
Railroad Engineer’s Exam
while living in Medicine Hat,
and in 1958 accepted a trans-
fer to work with the CPR in
Calgary, AB.
The Stewart family pur-
chased a house in the Cambri-
an Heights district of Calgary.
Archie continued to work
with the CPR until he was di-
agnosed with cancer in 1967.
Unfortunately, he did not re-
cover and died in 1971.
Mary was heartbroken to
lose her lifetime companion;
however, she realized she had
to go on with her life. She kept
busy with her grown children
and sewing for dressmaking
clients. In later years, Mary
discovered the “Y” and began
taking aquacize and Tai Chi
classes. She also discovered
she had a talent for pottery
and created many beautiful
pieces over the years. Mary
continued these hobbies until
recent years, when osteopo-
rosis prevented her from en-
joying them. Amazingly, she
was able to drive a car until
age 94, when she decided not
to renew her license.
Mary’s history with the
Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club
of Calgary is impressive. She
joined the newly-formed Club
in the early 1970s. She recalls,
“The first event I went to was
a Christmas Party... I remem-
ber going into the kitchen and
asking if I could help with
something.” Little did Mary
know that 33 years later, she
would still be helping when-
ever possible, making many
new friends along the way.
Since that first event,
Mary has been an active and
treasured member of the
LEIC. She is not only a Char-
ter Member of the Club, but
received Honorary Member
status in 1981. Mary proudly
represented the Calgary Club
as the Alberta fjallkona in
1989 and was recognized as
an Honorary Member of the
Icelandic National League in
1998.
Currently, Mary resides in
the same Calgary house that
she and Archie purchased in
1958. She enjoys her inde-
pendence, but still likes to
welcome family and friends
who come to experience her
warm hospitality. Mary Stew-
art, who began her life in Win-
nipeg almost a century ago, is
a lady one feels privileged to
know.
Sigurdur Sigurdsson and Gudlaug Thorleifsdottir
Mary and Archie Stewart on their wedding day in 1940.
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