Siggi Goodbrandson

Sigurdur “Siggi” Goodbrandson was born in 1925 in Selkirk. He served in the Royal Canadian Navy before building a successful career in engineering.

Early Life

Sigurdur (Siggi) Goodbrandson was born on February 16, 1925 into an Icelandic family. His younger brother, Brandur Goodbrandson was also a member of the Dufferin Gang.

When Siggi began school he couldn’t speak English, as his family spoke Icelandic at home. This didn’t hold him back as he was academically gifted and a natural athlete, excelling in everything he did. He attended Devonshire Collegiate Institute and graduated in 1942.

While in school, he delivered the Winnipeg Free Press and worked with his father, hauling ice and later gravel, wood, and furniture as part of the family’s freight business. The business evolved from a team of horses to motorized vehicles when Siggi bought a used truck for $500 in the 1940s.

Before joining the Navy in 1943, Siggi worked at Morrison’s Hardware.

Military Career

Siggi served in the Navy as a quartermaster on the frigate HMSC Ste. Therese. His role on this ship was to search for enemy submarines in the English Channel, which would often hide around or underneath sunken ships. He was to drop depth charges into the channel to disturb the enemy submarines. Each blast would surface debris from previous shipwrecks, so it was difficult to determine if an enemy submarine was hit.

Post Military Career

After Siggi returned from the military, for the Provincial Department of Highways. He married Isabel Edwards in 1951, and they had twins, Gail and Gary.

Siggi played for the Selkirk Fisherman and was known for being the “lamplighter for his goal scoring prowess.” He became the captain of the Selkirk Fisherman in 1953 and continued to coach the team after his playing days were over. In addition to the Selkirk Fisherman, he also coached the Carman Beavers and the Winnipeg South Side Nationals.

In 1958, Siggi attended the University of Manitoba and graduated from the Faculty of Engineering in 1958. After completing his studies, he returned to the Department of Highways for many years. When he retired in 1990, he was the Assistant Deputy and had worked nearly 40 years for the Department.

After retiring, Siggi suffered a serious stroke which rendered him wheelchair bound for the remainder of his life.

Siggi Goodbrandson passed away on August 3rd, 2006. He is buried at the Glen Eden Memorial Gardens in West Saint Paul.