Memorable Manitobans: Olafia Jonina Jonsson Melan (1887-1966)

Olafia Jonina Jonsson Melan Click to enlarge

Educator.

Born at Hecla on 6 March 1887, daughter of Icelandic immigrants Jon Jonsson and Sigridur Jonsdottir, she was a school teacher for 36 years, at Haland School (1907-1909) and Whytewold Beach School (1946-1950), and served as the Principal of Gimli School (1915-1918, 1921-1925), Hnausa School (1941-1942, 1950-1954), Riverton School (1942-1943), Pierson School (1954-1955), Napinka School (1955-1958), and Brant School (1958-1961). In 1925, she married cleric Eyjolfur Snibjorn Melan and they subsequently had a son, Jonas Alywin Melan (1927-1969). In retirement, she moved to British Columbia where she died at Huntingdon on 4 February 1966.

Sources:

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

“Unitarian minister dies at Argyle,” Winnipeg Free Press, 21 November 1960, page 7.

Death registrations, British Columbia Vital Statistics.

A History of Education in the Evergreen School Division by John C. Gottfried, MA thesis, University of Manitoba, 1965.

Wagons to Wings: History of Lundar and Districts, 1872-1980 compiled by Lundar and District Historical Society, 1980.

We thank Nathan Kramer for providing additional information used here.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 12 July 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 Search Browse 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 | Z Browse 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.ca Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements Help us keep history alive!