The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1994, Síða 23

SPRING, 1994
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
133
person, she was a dominating
presence. ”7
The University of Manitoba’s
yearbook, The Brown and Gold, said
of Sigga in her graduating year,
“A Saskatchewan product and a
credit to the province. Her tenacity of
purpose and diligence in studies has
only been exceeded by her loyalty to
her many friends. .. .A tender heart, a
will inflexible. ”
As well as busy in her practice, Sigga
was the office manager, a forthright
Icelander, she had no compunction in
billing for services rendered.
A delightful aside, which parallels
the story of some other Icelandic
women, is that she lied about her age.
The bride of a man seven years her
junior, she felt compelled by the social
climate of her time to pretend that
they were closer in age. So, when she
retired from active medical practice,
at the age of 82, in 1975, everybody
thought that she was 75. Even in her
official documents and health card,
she stated that she was bom in 1900.
It was not until her 90th birthday in
1983 that she admitted to her
deception.
Sigga’s husband, Clarence J.
Houston, predeceased her in 1986.
C.J. stopped doing primary night calls
in 1975 and ceased surgery a year
later. He had morning office hours for
another two years after Sigga retired,
while he co-authored Pioneer of
Vision, a biography of Dr. T.A. Patrick
(published in 1980).
A strong influence on her
descendants, her remarkable saga
continues through the medical
dynasty that she has founded. Her
only child and three of her four
grandchildren are medical doctors.
Her son, Dr. C. Stuart Houston, bom
September 26, 1927, is a professor of
radiology at the University of
Saskatchewan and throughout his
career has been showered with many
honours and awards, among them
the Order of Canada, the Canada 125
Medal, the Distinguished Canadian
Award and the Saskatchewan Order
of Merit. Her grandson, Stan, is a
specialist in infectious diseases at the
University of Alberta in Edmonton.
Margaret Sigrithur, her only grand-
daughter, has her Master’s degree in
epidemiology and is in family practice
at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester,
Minnesota. Another grandson, Don-
ald, has his Ph.D. in physiology and is
teaching haematology at the
University of Manitoba. Grandson
David has a Master’s degree in
science and is employed with an
engineering firm in St. Catherine’s,
Ontario.
Sigga, a truly gifted person, with
outstanding achievements and
accomplishments, is a tremendous
credit to the Icelandic community.
Her drive and determination will be
an inspiration to future generations of
Icelandic Canadians.
1 Geir"s great-grandfather,
Christian Weidingh (1761-
1844) had settled in
HafnarfjorSur, where he
married Kristin Jonsdottir
(1759-1842). Kristin's daughter,
also Kristin (1791-1863),
married Jon Jonsson.
2 Sigga's sister, Dora, who
married Bogi Bjamason, a
newspaper publisher, had
three children; Bernice and
Don became social workers
and Brian an airline pilot.
Sigga's sister, Babs, married
Valdimar Kristjansson, foreman
of a gravel crusher crew with
the Manitoba Good Roads
Commission, and had two
children; Myra, a nurse,
married Ole Thorsteinson, a
chartered accountant and Ken
worked with the Canada Post.
Sigga's brother, Bill, married
Inga Johannson of Winnipeg
but he died eleven months
later from typhoid fever.
3 Bjarnason, Dora (sister to Sigga
Houston). The Early Years.
4 Ibid.
5 Ibid.
6 Warden, Kathryn. "Access-
Profile." Saskatoon Star
Phoenix, Saturday, September
4, 1993.
7 Ibid.