Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.12.2019, Blaðsíða 9

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Kæra Jóhanna – dear Jo,
It is a great honour for
me to congratulate you on
your 100th birthday. Thank you
for including me and Jórunn in
this celebration with you and your
family and friends.
Jórunn and I have been blessed
to have you as our neighbour and
a dear friend since we arrived here
in Winnipeg in May 2016 and we
feel fortunate to celebrate your
100th birthday with you.
I remember when we first met
Jo at a reception at the consulate
shortly after our arrival. We had
a wonderful conversation about
some of her many achievements
in life and it did not go unnoticed
how proud she was of her
Icelandic heritage. When leaving,
she said, “Please let me know if
there is anything I can assist you
with and I’ll bake vínarterta for
you.”
This was when she was still
young at only 97. Today, still
young, she offers her help and
bakes vínarterta for me and Jórunn
– just because she feels like it. Not
long after this first meeting with Jo,
we were invited to come over for
coffee. It was then that we first got
to taste her famous vínarterta, this
incredibly elegant seven-layered
terta. Since them we have always
had vínarterta for our guests and
to take home to Iceland when on
holiday. Thank you very much, Jo.
I know for a fact that Jórunn and
of course Bessa, our dog, will miss
their morning coffee visits to you
after we move back to Iceland in
December.
But it is not just baking Jo
has accomplished over a long life
because she has also been a mentor
and a leader in the Icelandic
community, and honoured by many
organizations for her outstanding
work in the community. She is
the longest-standings member
of the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter of
IODE, an organization her mother,
Johanna Gudrun Skaptason, was
the founding regent of.
We are all grateful to you for
all you have done in strengthening
the bonds between the old and the
new country.
Kæru Jóhanna, last but
not least, I have the honour
to convey birthday greetings
from the President of Iceland,
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, and his
congratulations on this remarkable
milestone. Allow me to present
you with the greeting card signed
by the president, but let me read it
first. It is in Icelandic and says:
“Á aldarafmæli þínu sendi
ég þér hugheilar heillaóskir frá
Íslandi. Megir þú njóta dagsins í
faðmi fjölskyldu og vina. Þakkir
færðu frá okkur Íslendingum fyrir
að virða og halda á lofti þínum
íslenska uppruna. Þá ræktarsemi
kunnum við svo sannarlega að
meta. Og megir þú áfram baka
þínar indælu vínartertur. Guðni
Th. Jóhannesson.”
In English: “On you centennial,
I send you heartfelt congratulations
from Iceland. May you enjoy
the day in the arms of family
and friends. Thank you from us
Icelanders for respecting and
upholding your Icelandic heritage.
We can certainly appreciate you
dedication. And may you continue
to bake your delicious vínarterta.
Guðni Th. Jóhannesson.”
Thank you and happy
100th birthday!
CONSUL GENERAL’S BIRTHDAY GREETINGS
PHOTO: STEFAN JONASSON
Johanna Wilson at her 100th birthday reception
Consul General Þórður Bjarni
Guðjónsson
Winnipeg, MB
Collegiate, an instructor for the University of Manitoba
Faculty of Education’s summer school, and the author
of History of Home Economics Education in Manitoba,
which began as her master’s thesis. A driving force in the
Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE, which was founded by her
mother, Jo was twice regent herself, co-editor (with Dee
Dee Westdal and Dora Sigurdson) of its commemorative
book, Veterans of Icelandic Descent, World War II, and
involved in every sphere of the chapter’s activity. She
has been honoured through the years by the Betel Home
Foundation, Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE, Manitoba
Home Economics Teachers’ Association, and the
University Women’s Club.
Like Johanna’s 95th birthday celebration five years
ago, her 100th birthday celebration was held at the Neil
Bardal Funeral Centre. Both times, this choice of location
raised a few eyebrows among her friends and admirers.
The venue reflected both Jo’s matter-of-fact way of being
in the world and also her whimsical side, I think, although
it’s plainly the case that the centre is a beautiful place for
social and cultural events while the staff members are
friendly and gracious hosts.
PHOTO: JON SIGURDSSON CHAPTER IODE
Johanna enjoying a laugh as
she accepts her 100th birthday
citation from the IODE