Patty Johnson

Patty was raised in Lundar, Manitoba, an Icelandic settlement on the western shores of Lake Manitoba. Her mother, Isabel, was of Scottish descent, and her father, Eirikur Eirikson, was a first-generation Canadian whose parents, Rafnkel Eirikson and Halldora Sveinsdottir, emigrated to Canada in the late 1800s. Living in Lundar meant partaking in many Icelandic traditions, like celebrating on Christmas Eve, enjoying Icelandic foods (like vínarterta, skyr, pönnukökur, hard fish, and many fish meals per week), visiting family and friends over coffee, and visiting ancestors in the cemetery. Patty’s afi lived with her family for a few years when she was a toddler and she has many happy and loving memories of him.

Growing up in Lundar, Patty helped on the family mink ranch, took piano lessons, sang in choirs, played school sports, attended Sunday School, and was confirmed to the Lundar Lutheran Church. After graduating high school in 1978, she headed to the University of Manitoba to earn her Bachelor of Nursing Degree and worked as a nurse for 40 years, mostly in the area of Facility-Based Long Term Care. For 10 years and prior to retirement from full-time work in 2016, Patty was the Director of Long Term Care Programs at the Misericordia Health Centre (MHC) in Winnipeg, MB. During her time at MHC, she completed a Master of Health Studies from Athabasca University.

Patty says one family trait that has served her well in both her personal and professional life is treating people with respect and striving to be a good listener. She loves to help where she can and is currently the secretary of the Coldwell Lundar Community Foundation, Inc., secretary of the Lundar Community Resource Council, Inc., President of the Lundar Personal Care Home Guild, and member of the Board for the Interlake Regional Shared Ministry.

Patty has always enjoyed travel, and after exploring much of Canada and the US, Jamaica, and South Africa, she took her first trip to Iceland in 2019 and was able to see the family farms of her afi (Hof) and amma (Geirland).

Patty currently resides in Lundar with her husband of 43 years (Allan Johnson of Oak Point, MB).  Their two daughters live in Winnipeg, and they are blessed with two grandsons, who call them afi and amma.