The Narfason Family of "Víðivöllum"
Mundi Narfason
Mundi Narfason (1910)
James and Gerdur Harris
Mundi Narfason
Guðmundur Narfi (Mundi) was born in 1895, the son of Magnús and Emerentíana Narfason. He never married, and lived with his brother Elli and family at “Víðivöllum.”
Mundi is remembered as a quiet gentle person. Both he and Elli were able to go to school till about the 6th grade. They also went to Sunday School at the Lutheran Church in Gimli. They would walk along the trail from “Auðnum” to Grund, through “Staraskóg” and down to B.B. Olson’s where they changed their everyday shoes and socks to their better ones and completed the journey.
Mundi, like his brother Elli, was drafted into the army during WWI, but being the eldest, his father asked for an exemption so he could help with the farm work. Mundi took a mechanic’s course by correspondence. There was also a week for practical work in Winnipeg at Musker Engineering which both he and Benni Danielson attended. This course proved invaluable since Mundi was able to repair much of the machinery when the need arose. He had a forge in the “Smidja” which was fascinating to watch as he fired this up to repair a broken part from a machine or wagon or when he shoed the horses etc. Mundi was the one that looked to replacing machinery with new and more efficient models. He ran the threshing machine at harvest time and would also go to thresh for others in the neighbourhood.
Mundi was a member of the Young People’s Club of Minerva and helped build the first Minerva Hall which the club owned until they turned it over to the Minerva Ladies Aid. Mundi played the violin and did play for some of the dances in this hall.The older siblings can remember Mundi as someone who was willing to hitch up the horses and take them to a hockey game in Gimli. On occasion he would also go to the movies and other recreational events in the community. He was always supportive and always interested even though he was not talkative. In later years Mundi retired to the Betel Home in Gimli.
James and Gerdur Harris
Gerdur Hansina (Garry) was born on Aug. 25 1920, the daughter of Elli and Runa Narfason of “Víðivöllum.”
Always encouraged by her mother to pursue her education, she took a secretarial course at Success Business College and worked for the Federal Government both in Ottawa and in Winnipeg. She married James J. Harris (b. Sept. 22, 1923) in 1952. Upon his return from the airforce after the war, James obtained a degree in Mechanical Engineering from U of M and worked for the CNR in Montreal, Toronto, and Winnipeg.
James and Gerdur have two children:
Dawn Florence Gudrun (b. July 5, 1953) who has a degree in Agriculture from the U of M. She married Randall Baldwin in 1976. They live in Ile de Chene and have one daughter, Amanda Victoria (b. Sept. 3, 1983).
James Duncan Alexander (b. March 4 1957) has a degree in Mechanical Engineering from the U of M and is employed by Nortel. He married Margaret Jane MacKenzie and they live in Calgary. Their children are James Gregory (b.Apr. 3, 1987) and Tyler Scott (b. Mar. 31, 1989).