Memorable Manitobans: Halldor Jonsson “Dori” Stefansson (1898-1983)

Educator.

Born at Faskruthsfjordur, Iceland on 9 April 1898, in the spring of 1903 he came to Canada with his father, stepmother, and two older siblings. They spent two years in the Glenboro-Baldur area then moved to a homestead near Elfros, Saskatchewan. He completed his primary education there and his second education at the Jon Bjarnason Academy in Winnipeg. He received a BA degree from Wesley College (1923) then took teacher training at the Saskatoon Normal School. He taught at Kandahar, Saskatchewan for five years before returning to Manitoba where he was the Principal of Solsgirth School (1930-1933), Elkhorn School (1933-1938), and Goose Lake School (1941-1946), and taught at Swan River School (1938-1941). In 1946, he moved to Winnipeg and began working for the Great West Life Assurance Company.

On 3 May 1925, he married Arnthrudur “Thruda” Gudmundsson at Winnipeg. They had four children, two daughters and two sons. He served one year as President of the Osborne Provincial Liberal Association, and was Treasurer, Secretary, and President of the Icelandic Canadian Club of Winnipeg. In 1974, he was made an honorary Life Members of the Club in recognition of his service to it.

He died at Winnipeg on 26 July 1983.

Sources:

Marriage registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

Annual Reports of the Manitoba Department of Education, Manitoba Legislative Library.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 28 July 1983, page 32.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 31 March 2015

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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