The Icelandic connection - 01.12.2020, Síða 22

164
ICELANDIC CONNECTION
Vol.71 #4
/w/
MEET FJALLKONA
Three members of Jon Sigurdsson Chapter, Winnipeg, Man., pub-
lished a book, “Veterans of Icelandic Descent - World War II" and
are currently working on a small supplement. Dora Sigurdson,
' LTand Mae Westdal are holding copies of the book in
MairfnS’M kentWhen MrS'WllS0n was honoured as Fjallkona,
Maid of the Mountain at the Icelandic Festival
or
Newspaper article from scrapbook, 1991, source unknown
provided by Dee Dee’s daughter Laureen.
The three committee members really
bonded, having spent hundreds of hours
together in thought, in conversation and
in consultation with the veterans. The
women always met at Dora’s place in
Betelstadur on Sargent Avenue in the
west end of Winnipeg because she was
the only one who could not drive.
When this monumental task was
completed, a print-ready copy was sent
to Hignell Printing, a company with
Icelandic connections. After more than
two years of intense work, Veterans
of Icelandic Descent World War II was
published in December of 1990.
Jo Wilson recalls that the committee
really wanted the bookready for Christmas.
The publisher rushed the printing to have
it done by then, discovering afterward
that the printing on the book spines
was off-centre. He
offered to reprint
the books. However,
the committee
examined them and
determined that it was
not noticeable. This
proved to be of benefit
to the committee
as they received the
books at a discounted
rate thus keeping the
costs down.
Those who had
put a down payment
of S15 on the book
would receive their
copy when the
additional $20 had
been paid. Each book
was then mailed
out in a cardboard
box packaged by the
committee members.
Now that they had
finished, the three women threw their
papers in the air, shouting, “Hoorah!
We’re done!” In the end, Dee Dee, Jo and
Dora all felt a sense of accomplishment
and satisfaction.
Recognizing this great achievement,
the Canada Iceland Foundation presented
the women of Jon Sigurdsson Chapter
IODE with a silver tray.
In 1993, a supplement was created,
adding the names and biographies of
those men and women who were missed
in the first two Veterans books as well as
of those who fought in the Korean War.
Unfortunately, because of the expense, the
supplement did not contain photographs.
For many years after publishing the
book, Jo and Dee Dee, along with other
IODE members, could be found under the
same beautiful shady tree on the grounds of
Gimli Park at Islendingadagurinn. Here