GYTHA RYCKMAN (HALLSON)

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GYTHA RYCKMAN (nee HALLSON) September 12, 1913 - August 27, 2010 It is with great sadness that our family announces the passing of Gytha Ryckman (nee Hallson) at Charles Care Centre on Friday, August 27, 2010. She will be greatly missed by daughter, Mary-Lynne (Ed) Braun, son Hal (Gail), daughter-in-law Agnes, and her many beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Gytha was predeceased by her husband George, son Ronald, parents Olafur and Gudrun Hallson, brother Hallur Hallson and sisters, Ingibjorg McGlynn and Kristiana Bergsteinsson. Mom was born in 1913 in Eriksdale, Manitoba, where her father owned and operated Hallson's General Store. She had her early education there and then attended the J.B. Bjarnason Academy in Winnipeg for her final high school year. She graduated from Normal School and taught school at Nord, Manitoba for two years prior to her marriage. Then followed many years of creating a warm and welcoming home for her family. George and Gytha lived in Winnipeg for 24 years and then built their house at Stony Mountain where they lived for 38 wonderful years. They moved back to Winnipeg when caring for the house and yard became too difficult for them, living for a time at Fort Garry Place and then Amber Meadow. After Dad died, Mom moved into the Charleswood Care Centre. Mom was the heart of the family, teaching all of us to love and cherish one another. She was a gentle soul who looked for the good and the best in people, and always found it in everyone she met. People were drawn to Mom like a magnet and she made everyone feel special. The coffee pot was always on and Mom was never too busy to share a cup and a visit with friends and family. When her youngest son Hal was in school, Mom went back to teaching and taught primary grades at the school for the deaf in Winnipeg. She was a gifted and creative teacher who loved the children and enjoyed watching them progress through their school years. Mom's artistic and creative energy was channeled into all sorts of handiwork, knitting, sewing, and any other crafts that she found. Her greatest passion was china painting, which she took up after she retired from teaching. She first was introduced to china painting in California where she and Dad spent 17 winters. After learning some techniques from a teacher in California, she sought out a teacher in Winnipeg and with her good friend, Olive Neuls, she formed the Prairie Porcelain Artists' group that met on a regular basis to paint and share techniques. The family is blessed with many beautiful china pieces lovingly painted by Gytha. Mom was proud of her Icelandic heritage and kept in touch with relatives in Iceland. She made three trips to Iceland, and extolled the Icelandic virtues of hard work and lifelong learning through reading. She subscribed to the Iceland Canadian and Logberg-Heimskringla, the Icelandic newspaper in Winnipeg, and supported many Icelandic cultural events throughout her life. The family would like to thank the management and staff of the Charleswood Care Centre for their kindness to Gytha, and in particular to Tara Dawn and the staff of Wing 6. Mom was well cared for and happy, and always told us how good everyone was to her. Funeral service will be held at Windsor Park United Church, 1062 Autumnwood Drive, on Thursday, September 2, at 11:00 a.m. with interment to follow in Christ Church Cemetery in Stony Mountain. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the Icelandic Chair, University of Manitoba, 357 University College, 220 Dysart Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2M8. NEIL BARDAL INC. FUNERAL CENTRE (204) 949-2200 nbardal.mb.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 31, 2010