BJARNEY GUDRUN GISLASON

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BJARNEY GUDRUN GISLASON Gudrun died peacefully on November 9, at the Personal Care Home in Arborg, Manitoba, from the effects of a stroke the previous Thursday evening. She was 95 years of age. Gudrun was predeceased by her husband, Josep (1960), parents Eiríkur (1966) and Steinunn (1975) Bjarnason; her siblings, þorleifur, Sigurlaug, Bjarni, Margrét, Sigurros, Svava, Johanna, Bogi and Skapti; her daughters-in-law Alice and Gladys, grandson Stuart and great-granddaughter Jacqueline. She is survived by her children Josephine Kristjanson (Ingvar), David (Judy), Wayne (Sandra) and Lorne (Shirley); grandchildren Ingrid, Ardith and Darren; Katherine and Shelly; Tamara, Tanis, Tracey and Wesley; Joseph, as well as 25 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews. Gudrun was born in a small turf cottage in Northern Iceland in 1919, and emigrated here with her parents and three siblings as a child of just one and a half years. She was raised in a pioneering environment, moving with her family from Riverton to Geysir, to Howardville, Finns and finally to Geysir where her parents purchased the farm Reykjum in 1937. Here they would at last settle down to a new life in the land of their dreams. Gudrun and Josep Gislason were married on September 9, 1939. While getting established on their new farm in Geysir, Josep would spend winters fishing on Lake Winnipeg while Gudrun ably stayed home to look after the livestock - feeding, watering and milking the cows and tending the sheep. This required considerable confidence and self-reliance, there being no hydro or telephone in those days. Gudrun loved her life on the farm. She always had a large garden, which added a healthy element to fare on the kitchen table. She was skilled in the arts of homemaking, sewing most of the clothing for her children and some of her own, as budgets were tight. Gudrun was an accomplished cook, and there was never a shortage of scrumptious food for the table. At harvest time, threshing crews would turn up, and all the men would come to the house for their noon meal while the horses rested. Somehow, a miracle would happen each day, and a table heavy with food was waiting for the men when they came in. This was all prepared over the heat of the fire in the kitchen stove, which must have been a warm task at best. She knew how to prepare all the traditional Icelandic foods. Pönnukökur were her specialty. In 1952, Josep's sister, Bjorghildur, died and her daughter Ruth Anne came to live for four years as part of the Gislason family. Following the death of her husband, Gudrun moved to Gimli where she worked for two years at the Betel seniors' home. Later she moved back to Reykjum to care for her mother in her declining years. At Reykjum she found time to share her love of the Icelandic language and culture with young people of the district, teaching the language and some traditional cooking skills. She twice had the opportunity to visit the land of her birth - in 1974 with her students of Icelandic, and again with her daughter and niece in 1998. 1995 was a high point in Gudrun's life, when she was asked to represent Iceland as Fjallkona for the Icelandic Festival. She was very community-minded, serving many years with the Geysir Ladies Aid, Freyja, an organization dedicated to making life a little brighter for its fellow citizens. When the Assisted Living facility opened in Arborg, she was one of the first to move in. She loved her life there, where the staff was always kind and considerate, and sensitive to the needs of the residents. A fall and the resulting broken bones in October of 2013 meant an extended hospital stay and an eventual move to the care home in January of 2014. She adjusted well to life there, and was an inspiration to all those she came in contact with. The family wishes to thank the staff at the Arborg Personal Care Home for their kindness and caring during Gudrun's final illness. A service of remembrance will be held on Wednesday, December 3, at the Ardal-Geysir Lutheran Church at 2:00 p.m. Prior interment of ashes will take place at the Geysir Cemetery at 12:00 noon. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ardal-Geysir Lutheran Church, 301 River Road, Arborg, MB, R0C 0A0, or the Geysir Cemetery, Box 796, Arborg, MB R0C 0A0. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: Nov 15, 2014

BJARNEY GUDRUN GISLASON The family of Bjarney Gudrun Gislason would like those who knew and loved her to know that she has left this world. A resident of the Arborg Personal Care Home in Arborg, she died peacefully on the morning of November 9, 2014. Cremation has taken place and a service in her memory will be held on a later date. Full obituary to follow. NEIL BARDAL FUNERAL CENTRE 204-949-2200 GIMLI 204-642-7124 neilbardalinc.com
Publish Date: Nov 12, 2014

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 15, 2014