The Icelandic Canadian - 01.08.2002, Side 12

10
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
Vol. 57 #1
Toronto and yet again experienced a five
year apprenticeship in the family business.
He admits that it was a great learning expe-
rience working with his father and his
Uncle Karl.
As the two brothers were ready for
retirement, Neil, at the age of twenty nine,
bought a partnership in the business, which
lasted ten more years. On June 5th, 1980,
he opened his own business on Portage and
Aubrey Street. Today, he also owns a cre-
matorium housed in a large building near
Brookside Cemetery which includes
offices and a large reception area. His two
sons, Eirikur and Jon, are being trained to
eventually take his place. He also employs
his sister, Jean and daughters-in-law Lisa
and Leslie, as well as having help from his
wife, Annette, who drives from their home
in Husavik, near Gimli, three times a week.
I interviewed my nephew in his large
office at the Crematorium, a lovely room
full of memorabilia and pictures, with a
piano against one wall. Where do you see
an office with a piano? Neil took lessons
from the time he was small boy and is now
the assistant organist at St. Stephen’s
Lutheran Church. He had served as chair-
man of the Royal Canadian College of
Organists. He told me that playing the
piano brings him solace and he spends a lot
of time playing for his own pleasure.
In 1994, Neil was appointed Icelandic
Consul General.
I asked him -
Agnes: “How do you balance your
career with your job as Icelandic Consul
Neil as organist at Knox United Church.
General.”
Neil: “The two jobs have much the
same rationale. I’m setting the scene for
people’s needs. As Consul General, I’m a
resource for people dealing with all things
Icelandic and with the best interests of the
Icelandic Government.”
Agnes: “What has been your greatest
accomplishment so far?”
Neil: “The state visit of President
Vigdis Linnbogadottir in 1989. Unlike the
usual two day visit of a visiting Head of
State to Ottawa, this visit lasted nine days
and covered much of Canada, from L’Anse
Atkins
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