Musician.
Born at Winnipeg Beach on 26 October 1925, son of Peter and Martha Tomko, his mother died in childbirth and he was adopted by dry good merchant Haraldur “Harry” Anderson and his wife Valgerdur Oddson. His interest in music developed at an early age and he performed as a soloist in a community band at the age of six. He began taking piano lesson at eight, taking a bus into Winnipeg with his older sister to do so. In 1940, he switched to the trumpet and, after graduating from high school in 1941, moved to Vancouver, British Columbia to work at Boeing Aircraft.
In 1943, he took basic training at Orillia, Ontario and transferred to Camp Border where he trained as a driver. He served with the Canadian Armoured Corps band and played reveille every morning. Returning to Winnipeg after his military discharge, he joined three dance bands and played six nights a week in the Aragon Ballroom. By the 1950s, he led his own bands, performing in communities around Winnipeg, and had his own radio programs on stations CKY and CKRC. He moved to Salt Spring Island, British Columbia in 1988 where he entertained at private parties, hospitals, and senior citizen homes.
He died at Salt Spring Island, British Columbia on 6 September 2012. He was survived by a partner and two children.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 15 September 2012.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 27 October 2012.
“An indelible mark” by Kevin Rollason, Winnipeg Free Press, 5 January 2013, page J12.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 4 January 2025
Memorable Manitobans
This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.
Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:
Custom SearchBrowse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | ZBrowse deaths occurring in:
1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025
Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.caCriteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements
Help us keep
history alive!
