Gissur Elíasson was born in Winnipeg on October 13, 1912. He died in Winnipeg in 1980.
Spouse: June 12, 1943 Elvira Steinunn Skúladóttir b. October 10, 1915.
Children: 1. Glen Skúli b. July 16, 1944 2. Gary Elías b. July 16, 1944, twin 3. Melba Marina b. August 16, 1947 4. Hugh Gissur b. September 4, 1953.
Gissur was the son of Elías Elíasson and Guðbjörg Sæmundsdóttir in Arborg, Manitoba. Elvira’s parents were Skúli Benjamínsson and his first wife, Laufey Ísleifsdóttir, in Winnipeg. Gissur moved with his parents to Arborg where he attended school. After graduation, he went to Winnipeg because his mind was inclined to art. He went to the Jón Bjarnason school for a while, then devoted himself to art and was lucky enough to receive guidance in drawing from Charlie Thorson, who later made the park famous for Walt Disney. Gissur enrolled in the Winnipeg School of Arts and graduated from there in 1939. He became a teacher at the school, which later (1949) was merged with the University of Manitoba. Gissur was successful in advertising drawing and calligraphy. His best-known work of art in Manitoba is the Viking statue of Gimli.
