Translated from an article in "Logberg," December 27, 1934 / Obituary for;

Ragnhildur Sveinsdottir Johannsson

Dec. 25, 1857 - April 21, 1934

On April 21, 1934, Ragnhildur Sveinsdottir died in San Diego, California, following a lengthy illness.

Tha late Ragnhildur was the wife of Mr. Gunnlaugur Johannsson, a carpenter who lived for many years in Seattle and later in Los Angeles, and most recently in San Diego. Born at Skogar in Mjoifjordur in the East of Iceland, the late Ragnhildur was the daughter of Sevinn Sigurdsson and Sveinbjorg Sveinsdottir.

Raised in the district of her birth, Ragnhildur married young to Stefan Arnason, who died after some years of married life in Mjoifjordur. Ragnhildur and Stefan had five children, four daughters and a son, of which are deceased two daughters, both grown up and married. Johanna, the wife of Hermann Thorsteinsson, died in Iceland, the mother of many children, while Gudny, the mother of four children, died in Winnipeg some years ago, the wife of Tom Maher, now in Seattle. Three of Ragnhildur's children with her first husband are living: Sveinn in New York City; Mrs. Oak Smith in Seattle; and Mrs. Elizabeth Thorbergsson in Los Angeles, California.

From Ragnhildur's second marriage to Gunnlaugur Johannsson there were four children, three sons and a daughter. Two of the boys, both in early adulthood, died here at the West Coast, much to Ragnhildur and Gunnlaugur's sorrow. Olafur Johann died accidentally at Point Roberts, Washington, in November of 1915, then 17 years of age; and Benedikt Sveinn died in Los Angeles on July 16, 1929, at the age of 28, of a sickness that was going around. Edward, born in Winnipeg on March 21, 1903, was fostered by Magnus Petursson and his wife, Gudrun, and is still in Winnipeg. Ragnhildur and Gunnlaugur's daughter, Lara Hildur Goodman, married Gudmundur Goodman and lives here in the city of Seattle, where Mrs. Goodman's father has now lived with them for a time, since his wife passed away.

Mr. and Mrs. Johannsson moved to Seattle from Winnipeg in 1907 and lived here, with the exception of two years spent at Point Roberts, until 1922 when they moved to California with the two children still living, Ben and Lara (who was then unmarried). Both Gunnlaugur and Ragnhildur were exceptionally sociable and hospitable people, and their home always stood open to visitors. Ragnhildur also took an active part in the congregation and ladies aid, supporting them with word and deed all the years she lived here, as long as her health permitted.

The newspaper in Seydisfjordur (Iceland) is asked to reprint this article.

(by) A friend of the Johannssons, H. Th. Seattle, Washington, Dec. 13, 1934