Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.09.2018, Qupperneq 13

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Lögberg-Heimskringla • 15. september 2018 • 13
FAMILY ANNOUNCEMENTS
OBITUARIES
years, Darwin returned to UBC to
study law, graduating in 1969. While
living in Kelowna, he won the New
Democratic Party nomination for
the federal riding of the Okanagan-
Similkameen and ran in the elections
of 1979 and 1980. An avid reader
and fan of the CBC, Darwin lived on
Pender Island for the past 25 years.
A celebration of his life was held on
June 16 at the Browning Field on
Pender Island.
Ragnar Lawrence
(Larry) Kristjanson
With family by his side, Larry
passed away peacefully August 21,
2018. He leaves to treasure his
memory, Helen, his wife of 66 years;
his children, Kathy (Herb), Bonnie
(Gord), Patricia (Frank), David (Kathy),
and Eric (Daniel); his grandchildren,
Stephanie (James), Carly, Bryan,
Kara, Emma, and Rudy; and great-
grandchildren Sophie, Adam, and
Lauren. He was predeceased by his
siblings and his grandson Kristopher.
Larry grew up in Gimli in a vibrant
lakefront household with two sisters
and five brothers. He told stories of ice
fishing, ice boating, playing billiards
and managing the meat department
of his father’s store. In high school,
he had the good fortune to meet
Helen Sigurdson from Riverton. The
young couple moved first to Madison,
Wisconsin for Larry’s graduate
studies before settling in Winnipeg
in 1959 where Larry began work for
the Canadian Wheat Board and Helen
maintained a household and raised
their five children. Larry’s work took
him to many parts of world including
Russia, Brazil, the Middle East, Japan,
Peru, Australia and China to negotiate
the sale of grain on behalf of Western
Canadian farmers. He was very well-
respected at the Board, advocating
in particular for equal opportunity
for women, and working tirelessly to
ensure a good price and fair treatment
for the farmers he represented until
he retired in 1990 as Assistant Chief
Commissioner.
Larry and Helen’s love of the
Interlake led them to purchase
lakefront property in Hnausa in the mid-
sixties where they developed a cottage
retreat where the family has gathered
each summer ever since. Larry loved
his time at the lake spending hours in
the summer clearing brush, building
cabins, creating outdoor recreation
areas, planting trees, fishing and
playing tennis. After retirement, Larry
was actively involved in several
projects in Gimli including helping to
develop the Evergreen Basic Needs
outlet, supporting the museum and
undertaking the restoration of the Gimli
High School with his beloved brother,
Leo. The High School now houses the
town offices and has resulted in the
preservation of one of Gimli’s main
historic buildings. A commitment to
supporting higher education also led
Larry and Helen to create scholarships
to provide support for local high school
students to attend college. In his
later years, Larry enjoyed watching
the migration and nesting of the
birds and sitting on the deck at the
cottage feeding chipmunks from his
lap. He cherished his time with family,
especially playing the many, many
rounds of card games and Cribbage
with his children and grandchildren.
Larry’s dedication to helping others
without expecting anything in return
greatly inspired many who knew
him, and the impact of his efforts
continues to be experienced far and
wide. His close family and friends will
greatly miss his kindness, wisdom,
encouragement and, of course, the
mischievous humor so typical of his
Icelandic/Canadian upbringing.
A special thanks to the Gimli
Hospital Medical staff and to the
many homecare practitioners for all
their loving care. In lieu of flowers,
donations to the Evergreen Basic
Needs, 71 Fourth Ave., P.O. Box 89
Gimli MB, R0C 1B0 would be greatly
appreciated. A private family service
will be held at a later date.
NEIL BARDAL
FUNERAL CENTRE
204-949-2200
neilbardalinc.com
John David Thordarson
1936 – 2018
John David Thordarson of
Wiarton, Ontario, passed away August
1, 2018, in his 82nd year.
He was cherished by many,
including his wife, Alice; their three
children: Stephen (Kelly) of Burlington,
Susan of Spain, and Lynn (Catherine)
of Kimberly; his granddaughter, Emma;
and four brothers: Cliff, Stan, Tom,
and Robert (Thorsteinson). He was
predeceased by his father, John; his
mother, Gudrun; his stepfather, Eyolfur
Thorsteinson; brother, Dennis; and
son-in-law, Carlos Ibanez.
He graduated from the University
of Manitoba and then earned an MBA
from the Ivey School of Business in
London, ON, before embarking on a
business career in Toronto.
“Jón,” as he was known to many
in the Icelandic Canadian Club of
Toronto, along with his wife Alice, were
longtime active members of the club.
His involvements, during and following
his years in Toronto, included taking
Icelandic language classes, serving
on the ICCT executive as co-librarian,
often visiting people to collect books
they wished to donate to the club, and
attending events such as Þorrablót. He
was a member of the board of directors
of Lögberg-Heimskringla, Inc.
Jón had a keen interest in the
early Ontario Icelandic settlements of
Kinmount and Hekkla/Muskoka. One
memorable event was during the 2010
Icelandic National League of North
America convention in Toronto when he
helped lead a tour for delegates from
Iceland and North America, retracing
relevant locations and steps in the city
taken by the 1874 Icelandic immigrant
passengers of the SS St. Patrick before
they were sent away to Kinmount to
work on railway construction.
Jón’s life was celebrated August
12 at the Sauble Beach United
Church with interment at Balsam
Grove Cemetery, Oliphant. Charitable
donations can be sent to the Brain
Tumour Foundation or the Sauble
Beach United Church Mission and
Service Fund.
Karl Einar Torfason
Karl Einar Torfason was born on
May 13, 1952, in Gimli, Manitoba to
parents Iris Sigridur and Victor Carl
Torfason. Karl passed away on August
17, 2018, following a tragic fall in his
Calgary home.
He was predeceased by his
loving Mother, Iris Torfason in 2016
and his Father, Victor Carl Torfason
in 2002. He is survived by five half-
siblings in Manitoba, his Uncle Valdi
Frederickson and two cousins in
California, as well as many second
cousins.
Karl attended public school in
Thunder Bay, Ontario and high school
at the San Diego Military Academy in
California. When he and Iris moved
back to Calgary in 1998, he worked for
Direct Energy in Sales. In later years
he worked part-time jobs for Elections
Canada and Fun Casinos.
Karl was very proud of his
Icelandic heritage. He was a dedicated
member of the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic
Club of Calgary (LEIC) where he was the
photographer and Casino Chairperson.
He attended many Icelandic National
League conventions with his mother,
Iris. He was a devoted son and enjoyed
meeting his mother’s many cousins
and friends from Canada, USA and
Iceland.
Karl enjoyed golfing, playing bridge
and photography. He was a member of
The Royal Canadian Legion #265 and
The Unitarian Church of Calgary. Karl’s
family and many friends will miss him
– he was always so helpful and kind to
those who knew him.
At Karl’s request, there will be
no service or memorial. A tree will be
planted in his memory at Fish Creek
Park (Calgary) in September 2019.
On a recent vacation to the coast of Maine with my wife,
Sara, we stopped at the small town of Rockland. On the
main street, I visited the National Audubon Society’s
Project Puffin Visitor Center, which is dedicated to increasing
puffins in Maine. I was informed, quite correctly, that puffins in
Iceland are in danger of becoming extinct due to climate change
and lack of food.
Puffins were hunted for feathers and food in Maine and the
last ones were killed in 1885. Project Puffin transported 954
chicks from Newfoundland from 1973 to 1986. Fortunately, the
numbers increased due to a drop in temperature in the Gulf of
Maine and increased food. There are now several hundred pairs.
You may find out more information about the Project Puffin at
their website: www.projectpuffin.org.
From a tourist standpoint, there are puffin tours from nearby
Port Clyde. Unfortunately, I had just “missed the boat.” Maybe
next year – and there will be even more puffins!
Puffins in Maine
David Franklin
Montreal, QC
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annual giving
Mail or fax the completed forms to:
Lögberg-Heimskringla Inc.
835 MARION STREET,WINNIPEG, MB R2J 0K6 Canada
Telephone: 1-866-564-2374 | Fax: (204) 284-7099 | Email: lh@lh-inc.ca
or donate online on our secure website: www.lh-inc.ca

HEIMSKRINGLA
The Icelandic Community Newspaper
LÖGBERG
Pre-Authorized Payments Available
Please contact: audrey@lh-inc.ca or call Tel: 204.284.5686 Ext. 106
Fax: (204) 284-7099 Toll-free: 1-866-564-2374 (1-866-LOGBERG)
Cheque (Payable to Lögberg-Heimskringla, Inc.)
Credit Card
Visa and MasterCard are accepted.
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