Community activist.
Born at Herning, Denmark on 5 May 1905, he came to Canada in 1921. As a young man, he worked on farms in Saskatchewan and logging camps in Ontario. He came to Winnipeg in October 1939 to be caretaker of an apartment block. In 1942 he became involved in the labour movement by organizing the caretakers from several apartment blocks. In 1946 this local group affiliated with the Retail Wholesale and Department Store Union and he became their first international representative. By 1958 he was elected International Vice President of the RWDSU, a position that he held until retirement in 1970. From 1969 to 1979, he was Chairman of the Civil Service Commission. He served as a board member for the United Church, Winnipeg Presbytery Council, United Way, Age and Opportunity Bureau, and the Blue Cross. He held executive positions with the Danish Canadian Club, Scandinavian Centre, and the Viking Club. In recognition of his service in the trade union movement, he was inducted into the Manitoba Order of the Buffalo Hunt (1985) and he received the 125th Anniversary of Canadian Confederation Medal (1992). He died on 21 March 2001.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 31 March 2001.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 8 January 2023
Memorable Manitobans
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