The Icelandic Canadian - 01.10.2002, Blaðsíða 11

Vol. 57 #2
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
53
John Matthiasson
In His Own Words
by Lorna Tergesen
The Board of the Icelandic Canadian
lost a valued member in June 2001. John
Matthiasson had been active for many,
many years. His loyalty and knowledgeable
advice will be truly missed, plus his pon-
nukurs. An oral recounting of his life had
been put to tape prior to his death by John
himself. The transcription follows, hence
there are repititious situations, that have
not been edited out. We hope those that
knew John, as we did, will hear his voice as
you read through this tribute.
My name is John Stephen Matthiasson.
My parents were Matthias Matthiasson and
Jonina Johnson. My earliest memories of
the first seven years of my life are a very
pleasant time in my own history. We lived
in a small town in Wisconsin, named
Randolf. My father was a dentist there. He
had recently become established. We had a
lovely home and as an only child I was
probably very pampered. I have only fleet-
ing memories of this period. Probably the
most eventful time in my early childhood
was the death of my father. He had high
blood pressure and an aneurysm, passing
away at the age of forty three. My sister
Mary was born only a few days prior to his
death. My mother was still in the hospital
caring for Mary and dealing with the loss of
her husband. It was a very upsetting and
traumatic time for me.
Shortly after we moved back to
Winnipeg. My mother bought a house on
Lipton St. only a block away from her
father (my grandfather) on Wellington
Ave. She began to make a living by teach-
ing piano lessons. I had the job of becom-
ing a second father to my kid sister. This
was a very dramatic change. It stands out as
a meaningful memory.
Our family history goes back to
Iceland on both sides.
On my father's side, my great grandfa-
ther had inherited a farm in the West of
Iceland in the fjords. He drowned at sea at
age 43 likely with his sister. A group had
gone out to sea gathering driftwood. I
don't know if a storm blew in. We don't
know details other than the boat capsized.
One or two men made it to shore but not
my great grandfather nor his sister. This
left my great grandmother a widow with
two small sons. Somehow she made it to
North Dakota. She was likely traveling
with friends and had gone through New
Iceland in Manitoba. I have not checked
this out.
Her son Jon Matthiasson became my
grandfather and I am named after him. His
brother Bjarni passed away before adult-
hood. My grandmother, on my father's
side, Kristine Olafson came from the south
west side of Iceland. They came after the
majority of immigration had occurred.
Story has it that she was born in a covered
wagon somewhere passing through
Wisconsin. They went on through
Minnesota and north to North Dakota
where they settled.
The Olafsons became very successful
farmers. My grandmother had several
brothers. Her brother Rev. K.K Olafson
became the President of the Icelandic
Synod. He served as minister in the
Glenboro, Manitoba area for many years.
Another brother was a member of the State
Legislature of North Dakota. All of the
brothers were successful. They all had the
name "Kristin" as a middle name, and were
nick-named "K.K", "J.K",and "O.K." and
so on. My son Stephen's middle name is
Kristin, keeping up that family tradition.