The Icelandic Canadian - 01.12.2002, Page 53

Vol. 57 #3
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
137
Contributors
RALPH MAGNUSSON is an ardent hockey fan and was an avid player and
coach. He had always loved the stories of the feats of the Falcon team. He is a great
story teller and loves to tell tales to his many grandchildren.
ROGER NEWMAN is a former business reporter with the Globe and Mail
and Ottawa Whig Standard. After moving to Manitoba, he became a reporter with
the Brandon Sun and then the editor of the Interlake Spectator. An avid hockey fan,
Roger is currently living in Gimli and working as a freelance writer.
ERIC LARS OLAFSON was born in Ontario, but grew up in Manitoba. He
has lived in Salt Lake City with his family, Jaye and James for the past fifteen years.
He is the CEO of Tomax Corporation, a software development company that was
the host of Iceland House and a very special Team Canada celebration in February
2002 for the Winter Olympic Games. The Olafsons are active supporters of the
Utah Icelandic Association.
BARBARA SCHRODT - Completed her PHD in sport history at the
University of Alberta in 1979. She taught at the University of British Columbia
School of Physical Education for 37 years, with one of her favoured courses being
on the Olympic games - modern and ancient. She was also inducted into the B.C.
and U.B.C sports halls of fame.
FRED THORDARSON (Johann FreSrik, 1890-1966) - was born in Winnipeg,
Manitoba. His parents were Erlendur Fordarson born in the EyjafjorSur region of
Iceland and Signy Bjorg Erlendsdottir of Hunavatnssysla, Iceland. Fred and Norma
Thorbergsson were married in 1917, and lived in the west end of Winnipeg all their
lives. They had four children: Dorothy, Margaret, Shirley and David; seventeen
grandchildren and 34 great-grandchildren.
Fred had a long and successful career in banking, having worked at the Royal
Bank (and its predecessor) for 44 years. He was the manager of the branch at
Sargent and Beverley, then at Sargent and Arlington, and finally at Sargent and
Sherbrook, all located in the heart of the Winnipeg Icelandic community. A life-
long member of the First Lutheran Church, Fred served on the board for many
years. He was an active sportsman, having played for the Vikings and early Falcons.
He was on the executive of the 1920 Olympic champion Falcon Hockey Club, and
continued to work in an executive capacity for the club until its demise in the late
1930s. His story, The Romance of the Falcons exemplifies his dedication and loy-
alty to his family, friends and church.
SHIRLEY THORD ARSON McCREEDY - is a Winnipeg music teacher and
active in several Icelandic Canadian organizations. She is a Past Regent and present-
ly the Education Officer of the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE. Her father was Fred
Thordarson, author of Romance of the Falcons.