GERDUR (GARRY) HANSINA HARRIS

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

GERDUR (GARRY) HANSINA HARRIS

(nee NARFASON)

August 25, 1920 - November 28, 2023

Predeceased by her husband James J. Harris; parents, Gudjon Erlendur (Eli) and Gudrun Jokalros (Runa nee Isfeld) Narfason; sisters, Emma Wilkinson and Alda Mackenzie; brother Oli Narfason; brothers-in-law, Joe Wilkinson, James Mackenzie and Paul Isfeld; niece Terry Murphy; nephew-in-law Bob Savage. Survived by her daughter Dawn (Randy); granddaughter Amanda (Ed); son Duncan (Marg); grandsons, Greg and Tyler (Shannon); sisters, Dilla and Olan; sister-in-law Marj; nephews, Joe (Monique), Rob (Lisa), Clifford (Shelley), Sandy (Marianne); nephew-in-law Larry; and nieces, Niki (Greg), Darlene (Bob), Candace, Janice (Cam), Laureen, Lana (Barry), Paulette, Liz, Edith (Pat), Peggy (Jeff), and many great and great-great nieces and nephews.
Garry considered herself to have the best of all worlds having been born and grown up on her grandparents homestead, Vidivollum, in the Minerva District of the RM of Gimli. Garry began Minerva Public School speaking only Icelandic. She boarded in Gimli to attend and graduate from Gimli High School. She went on to Success Business College in Winnipeg after which she worked for the federal government in Ottawa and then Winnipeg before marrying Jim in 1952.
She loved the farm, helping with haying and driving the horses. She had many stories of her early years. She loved to tell of being so keen in first grade to answer the teacher's question: "What did the big, bad wolf come down?" that she excitedly waved her hand. When asked to answer, she shouted "strompa" and was embarrassed when the kids laughed, and she realized she had answered in Icelandic not English. She hid from her mother the time she fell off the rake and the wheel rolled over her hip, leaving her with a life-long reminder with one hip slightly higher than the other. She could always recite the families and the children who lived on all the farms in the Minerva District. She often recalled walking with Emma as girls to see their Gramma at Husavik.
After marrying Jim, she lived in Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg (the latter two, twice) as he moved with his job with CN. Summer holidays were usually spent on "the farm" with occasional trips to Vancouver to see Jim's parents. They owned a cottage in Gimli for over 30 years.
After meeting Jim and being influenced by his mother, she joined the Church of Christ, Scientist, being an active member in the churches in the cities in which she lived. Undoubtedly her faith kept her mobile and looking much younger than her 100 plus years.
Her final home was Betel Gimli where she could see the places of her childhood and speak Icelandic with her siblings.
Special thanks are extended to Molly who cared for Mom for five years through Home Care and continued caring until Mom's life was over. Thank you to everyone at Betel, especially nurses Cheryl, Viv, Lily, Melissa, Shauna, Ursula, Amanda, Kim, Mussie, recreation manager Bryanne and a number of aides for being particularly helpful and caring during Mom's long stay at Betel and who all had her best interests at heart.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Westshore Foundation, Box 395, Gimli, MB R0C 1B0 or westshorefoundation.ca. There will be no memorial service.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 02, 2023, Dec 02, 2023