Memorable Manitobans: Gudmundur Bjorgvin Arilius “Arli” Isfeld (1913-1994)

Educator, municipal official.

Born at Gimli on 20 December 1913, son of Icelandic immigrants August Isfeld Eiriksson (1871-1928) and Olina Sigurbjorg Oladottir Bjerring (1875-1947), he taught at Libau West School (1933-1934), Kjarna School (1938-1939), and Benito School (1941-1948) prior to serving as the Principal of Benito School (1952-1953) and Franklin School (1953-1954). Moving to Winnipeg, he was a teacher at Isaac Newton School (1957-?). He married Steinunn “Steina/Stony” Jonsson (1917-1987) and they had two children: Brian Lynthor Isfeld (1938-2008) and Patricia Arlein “Pat” Isfeld (1941-2015, wife of Brian McKenzie). He served as Mayor of Benito (1949-1953). An avid bird-watcher, he contributed bird observations to the nature columns of local newspapers. He died at Comox, British Columbia on 29 June 1994.

Sources:

Birth registration, Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Lightning kills fisherman on Lake Winnipeg,” Winnipeg Tribune, 6 July 1928, page 5.

Obituary [Olina Isfeld], Winnipeg Tribune, 17 April 1947, page 4.

Obituary [Steinun Isfeld], Winnipeg Free Press, 14 January 1987.

Death registration, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

Obituary [Patricia Arlein McKenzie], Winnipeg Free Press, 15 August 2015.

We thank Wilbur Jonsson for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 18 June 2022

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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