CAROL JOY KRISTJANSSON

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CAROL JOY KRISTJANSSON

Carol Joy Kristjansson (nee Palmason) passed peacefully on December 19. She was born in Winnipeg on December 29, 1925 to Hannes and Florence (Einarson) Palmason. She is survived by her children, Rik (Sally), Diane (Guy), Frida and Mark, her grandchildren Kristjan (Kiersten), Lara and Sigrid, a great-granddaughter, Stella, her step-grandchildren Michelle and John, step-great-grandchildren Zoe, Deven and Molly, a nephew John, a niece Carol, and a much-loved cousin, Joan. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband Adalsteinn (Steini) Kristjansson, her two brothers Jack (Jean) and Einar (Gillian) and her niece Diane Palmason.

A lifelong Winnipegger, Carol grew up in the West End and Crescentwood areas of the city. A student in Home Economics and Education at the University of Manitoba, Carol graduated as valedictorian of her class in 1947 and maintained lifetime friendships with many of her class mates. Carol and Steini met while students at the University of Manitoba and were married from 1949 until Steini’s passing in 1992.

Carol taught home economics briefly choosing instead to focus on her family and her many artistic interests which included sewing, decorating, finding and refinishing antiques and eventually, painting with oil pastels. She became an accomplished visual artist and art collector in her 60s and 70s. Carol was a devoted mother. She lived her values daily: honesty, kindness, fairness, creativity and family. She would do just about anything for her family including a ten-day babysitting stint with a yellow lab when she was 81 years of age.

Most of all, Carol loved her home and enjoyed long walks with close friends followed by coffee. She often entertained on weekends. At various times, she volunteered with the CNIB (recording books on tape) and with The Winnipeg Lionelles, but her heart was with her family, at home, or accompanying them to concerts, plays, musicals, movies and craft shows. And Sunday family dinners were a given right up until 2019 when she moved to Riverview Health Centre. We are proud to say, our mother was friendly, positive and loving until the end.

Our thanks go out to all the CD4 staff at Riverview over the years who cared for our mom, physically and spiritually. You are all so important and appreciated; the many kind, small and large things you did to help fill mom’s days did not go unnoticed.

Should anyone wish to make a donation in mom’s name, we thank you. Please select a charity of your choice or consider the Riverview Health Centre Foundation or The Winnipeg Humane Society.

A Celebration of Life is planned for the spring.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 28, 2024