The Icelandic Canadian - 01.08.2009, Side 6

96
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 62 #3
Editorial
Passages
by Lorna Tergesen
During our lifetime we experience
many varying forms of passages. The
Icelandic Canadian magazine is now
approximately sixty-seven years old and
this year we have seen a great deal of
change. We have acquired some wonderful
new members to the board, such as the
Simundssons, Elva, Avery and Heida,
Susan Claire Johnson, and Norma
Guttormsson from British Columbia. Elva
had served on this board a few years back
but we are so happy to have her on board
again.
Nothing remains the same. In our
small circle of the magazine board, we have
experienced the loss of four faithful friends.
Their contributions over the years have
been invaluable. We have lost Shirley
McCreedy and Gustaf Kristjanson. Shirley
was active right till the end of her life.
Gustaf had moved away, but had helped us
out immensely when he was in Winnipeg.
Two of our contributors who gave so will-
ingly of their time and talents, Bill Holm
and Haraldur Bessason, have also passed
away and they are a great loss to us. The
work ethic of these people is a shining
example for us to follow. Shirley’s dedica-
tion to the magazine never wavered. She
was so loyal and it must be added that her
dear husband Russsell always accompanied
her in the last few years. Her knowledge of
Robert’s Rules of order kept our meetings
on the right track. With Russell’s help,
Shirley’s failing eyesight never became an
issue or hindered her. She was skilled on
the computer. She and Russell took cours-
es to keep themselves abreast of the new
technologies. Her pride in being able to use
her father’s articles to promote the history
of the Falcons Hockey team was one of her
biggest gifts to us. Gus, as we called Gustaf,
passed away on the 26th of December,
2008. His years of volunteering on the
magazine board were while he and Norah,
his wife, resided in Winnipeg. Gus had a
very creative approach to all he did and his
articles were extremely well researched. He
was adept in telling the history of the earli-
er Icelandic Canadians. Gus was a gentle
man who loved to tell a good tale, while his
ability to write in a very clear direct man-
ner was to our benefit. Meetings were fre-
quently held in their home, with Norah
being a very gracious hostess. Neither Bill
Holm nor Haraldur Bessason were ever
board members but they certainly did con-
tribute! Each of these men was larger than