1863 - 1950, Community Builder/pioneer, Grenivik, Iceland/Logberg, SK

Johannes Einarsson was born on June 19, 1863 in Grenivik, Iceland to Einar Johanessson and Elina Jonasdottir. At the age of one and a half he was adopted by his mother’s sister Ovida and her husband Jon Loftsson. His foster father, for whom he had enormous respect, was captain of a shipping fleet based at Keflavik. As Johannes wrote many years later “we lived on a bleak shore. I never saw another child until I was six. The great breakers and the Arctic coast were my playmates.”

1914 – 2001, Religious Leader/Humanitarian, Spanish Fork, Utah.

Byron T. Geslison received the Order of the Falcon on Aug. 6, 1993, the highest honor bestowed by the government of Iceland. Byron helped open missionary work in Iceland in 1975 and has served three missions to that country.

1928 - 2001, Teacher/INLNA President, Hnausa/Riverton/Selkirk, MB

Laurence or better known as “Larry, is a gentleman in the truest and best sense of the word. He is calm, kindly, sensible, honorable and reliable, with a deep devotion to family and community. Pride in heritage and culture enhances rather than diminishes his feelings for his country.” It is in his memory that the Icelandic National League of North America established the Laurence S. G. Johnson Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 to be bestowed upon a recipient for “contributions not only to the Icelandic Community but also to the community at large.”

1887-1976, Lawyer/Cultural, Saskatchewan/Winnipeg, MB.

Judge Lindal was also active in various Icelandic and Icelandic Canadian organizations. In 1942 he and a group of Canadians of Icelandic descent organized and published a quarterly called The Icelandic Canadian. It is written in the English language and is still in existence today. Hudge Lindal was active in this publication for 23 years and was editor-in-chief for 15 years. He was President of the Icelandic Canadian Club in Winnipeg from 1944 to 1946, and of the Viking Club of Manitoba in 1943.

1855 - 1921 | Midwife | Iceland/Duluth, MN

Halldora Gudmundsdottir Olson was 4 when her mother died birthing child No. 8 in their Icelandic farmhouse. Halldora went to live with an aunt, who eventually taught her the art and science of midwifery. We don’t know if her childhood story prompted Olson’s career in obstetrics. But 50 years later, she would become Duluth’s most prodigious midwife, opening a maternity hospital in her home that catered to poor and unmarried mothers. Many of her patients worked as cooks and maids at her 12-bed home hospital to pay their way as they awaited babies.

1901-1982, Civil engineer/Construction, Iceland/Banff, AB.

Björgvin became active with a group of Icelanders and helped to establish the Leif Eiriksson Icelandic Club of Calgary as well as the Scandinavian Centre Co-op. He and Ruth had leading rolls in the club activities. Björgvin taught Icelandic classes, led tour groups from Iceland on mountain trips and acted as the club’s “Ambassador at Large”.

1915 - 2008 | 1917 - 2000, Farming, Business, Culture, Gimli/Winnipeg, MB.

All through their married years, Olla and Stefan were deeply involved in relating the rich ethnic, historic and cultural background of the area known as “New Iceland”. They belonged to several chapters of the Icelandic National League of North America. Stefan served as President of the national organization from 1976- 1979. They were very active in the Icelandic Cultural Corporation Inc., which maintained the Icelandic Museum in Gimli. Their children continue to support all things Icelandic.

1917 – 2002, Professor, plant breeder, geneticist, Lundar, Winnipeg, MB.

He has been referred to as ‘The Father of Canola’, as he was instrumental in the development of what is now the world’s foremost healthy edible oil.

1853 - 1927, Poet/Farmer, Iceland/Markerville, AB.

Although Stephansson had written some poetry before moving to Alberta, it was during his years on the Canadian prairies that he honed his craft, marrying traditional Icelandic metre (as well as experimenting with new metres) to the philosophy of the American freethinkers.

1916-1976, Broadcasting/Actor/Educator, Lundar, MB.

Larry was noted for his distinctive voice. His radio fans knew him for his rich resonant tones which led him first into radio, then into television and later into movies and as a University educator.

1890 – 1966, Artist and Author, Gimli, MB.

Every so often the world is fortunate to host someone with undeniably innate talent and if we are lucky, that talent is brought to the forefront and delights everyone who encounters it. One individual to be included in that category is my grandfather, Charlie Thorson.

1921 - 2012, Geologist/Mapped Arctic, Wynyard, SK, Calgary, AB

No name is more inextricably linked with the geology of the Canadian Arctic Archipelago than that of Ray Thorsteinsson. His death in Calgary on 23 April 2012 at the age of 91 brought to a close a career spanning 62 years, includ­ing 39 field seasons, devoted to the exploration and study of the Arctic Islandsundefineda record of achievement unlikely ever to be duplicated.