Educator, school inspector, diplomat.
Born at Baldur on 9 February 1904, son of Einar Sigvaldason and Kristin Gudnadottir, he attended Baldur School, Brandon Normal School, and the University of Manitoba, receiving from the latter BA and BEd (1939) degrees. He taught school at several rural schools, including Pilot Mound School, Deerwood School (1924), Mather School (1927-1929), John H. Gunn School (1930), Arrow River School (1930-1931), and Cartwright School (1931-1937). In 1937, he was appointed a School Inspector, based at Shoal Lake. He became the Acting Chief Administrative Officer for the Manitoba Department of Education in 1940, later enlisting in the Royal Canadian Air Force and doing administrative work.
Returning following military service to Winnipeg in 1946, he resumed his position in the provincial civil service, resigning the position later that year to become a Canadian diplomat at London, England. In 1964, he was appointed Ambassador to Norway, retiring from the diplomatic service four years later. He taught Political Science at Brandon University for two years following hs retirement.
He died at his home at Ottawa, Ontario on 22 February 1986.
Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.
Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.
“Manitoba education officer gets post at Canada House,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 August 1946, page 3.
A Historical Study of Public Education in West Kildonan to 1959 by Raymond Ronald Bailey, MEd thesis, University of Manitoba, 1966.
“Montrealer named Envoy to Norway,” Winnipeg Free Press, 4 October 1968, page 10.
Crocus Country: A History of Mather & Surrounding Districts by Mather History Committee, 1981.
“John Peter Sigvaldason, former ambassador, dies in Ottawa,” Logberg Heimskringla, 7 March 1986, page 1.
Miami & R. M. of Thompson Chronicles by Thompson History Book Committee, c1998. [Manitoba Legislative Library, F5649.M50Mia]
We thank Lynn Jones for providing additional information used here.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 18 November 2022
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:
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
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!
