The influential life of Valdimar Eylands

St. James

On June 21, 1925, at Selkirk Lutheran Church, 24-year-old Valdimar Eylands was ordained as a Lutheran Minister. During the 58-year career that ensued, the young man became a legend in three different countries.

As we approach the 125th anniversary of his birth, the time has come for a story about Uncle Valdimar.

Valdimar was born on March 3, 1901, in Iceland. On Dec. 27, 1925, just five months after his ordainment, Valdimar married Lilia Johnson, and the couple went on to have four children — Jon, Lilia, Elene, and Delores. Valdimar began his ministry serving various U.S. congregations. In 1938, he was called to serve the Selkirk Lutheran Church and assist the ailing Rev. Bjorn B. Jonsson at First Lutheran Church on Victor Street in Winnipeg. After Jonsson’s death in May 1938, Valdimar became lead pastor of First Lutheran for 29 of the next 30 years.

Valdimar’s ministry was very innovative .On Feb. 27, 1944, a First Lutheran evening Icelandic service was broadcast on CKY Radio. Pearl Johnson was the soloist. Rev. Sigurgeir Sigurdson, the bishop of Iceland, preached the sermon.

In 1945, Valdimar published a book called Lutherans in Canada. He also served as president of the Icelandic National League. In 1949, Lilia Eylands founded the Dorcas Society, a group for young women.

Between July 1947 and July 1948, Valdimar switched jobs with Eirikur Brynjolfsson, pastor of Utskalar Church in Iceland. In 1956, Valdimar played a major role in the establishment of St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church. On March 25, 1956, Valdimar, Eric Sigmar the first pastor of St. Stephen’s Pastor and Dr. Donald Houser conducted the organizational church service in the auditorium of the St. James Collegiate.

Over his career, Valdimar officiated at 844 weddings, 1,410 baptisms, and 1,066 funerals. The weddings included those of Ray and Runa Vopni, Barbara and Ken Honey and Russell and Shirley McCreedy.

Valdimar officiated at the funerals of taxi driver Joann Johnson, who was brutally murdered; of A. S. Bardal, founder of a funeral home; Paul Goodman, a Stanley Cup champion and Winnipeg alderman; and Dr. Brandur Brandson, a physician who was chairman of the Betel Foundation between 1914-1944.

For almost half of century, Valdimar was a fixture at Bjarnason family gatherings. March 21, 2026, will mark the 80th anniversary of Valdimar marrying my parents, Lara and George, at the Bjarnason homestead on Belvidere Street.

Lilia Eylands died in 1977. The following year, Valdimar married my Aunt Inga, a widow. Both Lilia (1941), and Inga (1962) were fjallkona at the Gimli Icelandic festival. Valdimar joined St. Stephen’s pastor John Kunkel in baptizing my twin daughters Laurie and Lisa, and my niece Shelly Cook. In 1980, Valdimar attended the 100th birthday celebration for my Amma, Halldora Bjarnason. After turning 80, Valdimar officiated at the 1981 funeral of my Uncle Charlie Storey. A few weeks later, Valdimar joined Pastor John Arvidson in officiating at the funeral of his mother-in-law (my Amma).

Valdimar received the Icelandic Order of the Falcon. He died on April 12, 1983.

Valdimar Eylands, who never seemed to take a holiday touched the lives of people from all walks of life.