SYLVIA LENORAH KRISTJANSON (BRADSHAW)

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SYLVIA LENORAH KRISTJANSON (nee BRADSHAW) Of Surrey B.C. passed away on April 29 after a lengthy illness. Born in Imperial, SK, the daughter of James F. and Sylvia Bradshaw, Norah moved with her family to Harris, SK, where she grew up and received her early education. After graduating from the Saskatoon Normal School, in 1936, she taught school for six years, most of that time in her home village of Harris. It was there that she met and married another teacher on staff, Gustaf Kristjanson in 1942. While he was serving in the Navy, she lived in St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Shelburne, Nova Scotia, Harris and Saskatoon. After the War she was to make her home in Toronto, Winnipeg, and Mission and Surrey in B.C. She operated a private kindergarten in her home in Winnipeg where she was a positive influence on the lives of hundreds of children as they started their educational careers. She also taught kindergarten for some years at Bella, B.C. for the Department of Indian Affairs and substituted in many schools in the Winnipeg School system. Norah's interests were many, including cooking, handicrafts, square dancing, and above all, gardening. When living in Mission, B.C. she received awards for her garden. Norah is survived by Gus, her loving husband of sixty-four years, her daughter Sharon (Brian) Ziel of Aptos, California, and son Ronald (Remmawii) of Atlanta, Georgia as well as seven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren, and a sister, Helen Marchant of Toronto, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, and three brothers, Lloyd, Ralph and James.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 13, 2006