Minneota connects to Icelanders

There was a large Minneota connection among the nearly 100 people attending the annual Icelandic Thorrablot Saturday night at the Bloomington Events Center.

Claire Eckley, the current President of the Icelandic American Association of Minnesota, was one of the organizers of the event. Eckley spends time in Minneota each year, including during Boxelder Bug Days when she features a large Icelandic display.

Several people in attendance grew up in Minneota or had relatives that were from Minneota. Beth (Goodmundson) Johnson was among those who grew up in Minneota.

“I graduated with Bill Holm,” she said. “I can't believe he's been gone for 10 years already.” Johnson, who lives in Faribault, comes to Thorrablot each year. She is a first cousin to Darrin Gislason.

“It does feel a little like being back in Minneota,” she laughed. “There are several people here that I know from Minneota.”

Lauren Hofteig and his brother John Hofteig were also on hand. Their late father, Haldor, and grandfather, Stefan, were Icelandic immigrants that lived in Minneota. Dorothy (Ferguson) Kuluvar and Wendy (Gislason) Matthews' grandfather, J.B. Gislason was also an Icelander who lived in Minneota.

Kuluvar’s mother, Cecilia Gislason, was also a former Minneota resident. And Kristin (Bjornson) Ode's late father, Val Bjornson, also grew up in Minneota, and later became the Minnesota State Treasurer.

Lois Josefson, who is related to the Josephson clan from Minneota, grew up there and now lives in Fergus Falls.

“My (Icelandic) family didn't change the spelling of our last name when they came over here,” she said. “I try to come to this event every year, and I always see so many people from Minneota here.”

The Thorrablot banquet honored Rev. Guttormor Guttormsson, a former minister at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Minneota, as well as his son Bishop Stefan Guttormsson, and grandson Dr. Steve Guttormsson.

“Steve was a member of our board,” Eckley told those in attendance. “He and his father and grandfather helped to understand and improve the Icelandic heritage and traditions.”

“Steve was always there whenever he was invited for Icelandic events. We're not just remembering Steve, but his father and grandfather, too. We are starting a place on the internet to honor all of them.”

A traditional Icelandic meal was served consisting of items such as cured salmon, blood sausage, rolled spice beef, liver sausage, mashed rutabagas, milk curds, and head cheese.