Barry Johnson

Barry Johnson spent the first 24 years of his life in Manitoba, but his desire to get more
education drew him to attend a university in Minnesota. He settled in the United States as an
immigrant following university and ultimately became a citizen.

He was born at the St. Boniface Hospital in Winnipeg and grew up on a farm in the Amaranth
community, just a little east of Lake Manitoba. The farming area was made up of close-knit
communities with farms every half mile or so with elementary schools within walking distance.

After graduating from high school in Amaranth, Barry worked odd jobs in Winnipeg for a few
years. In 1965 he went south to the USA to attend Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota,
graduating in 1968 with a major in mathematics and a minor in economics. Following
graduation, he joined the US Bank’s technology division as a programmer and spent 35 years
with the Bank before retiring in 2002. He met his spouse at Bethel, and they married in 1969.
Their three children have given them eight grandchildren they thoroughly enjoy in retirement.

Barry’s grandparents on his father’s side emigrated from Iceland in 1876. Barry knew very little
about their ancestry and his mother’s non-Icelandic heritage. He finally got interested in his
ancestry about ten years ago intending to produce a booklet for the family and a 36 x 24 seven-
generation family tree wall mural. Ancestry.com was the main tool he used in the research. His
grandfather’s ancestry was giving him uncertain results. While he was looking for clarity, he
came across Icelandic Roots. He thought the monthly fee was worth it to find better ancestral
information.

Barry presented History, Stories and Genealogy to his siblings for Christmas in 2020, and the
seven-generation family tree mural hangs above his computer desk. He credits Icelandic Roots
for providing clarity.