Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Disappearance of a War Bride

An interesting but sad story was published in The Oregonian this week.  An Icelandic woman married an American soldier after the end of World War II and left her home to move with him to Oregon, where his parents lived.  Communication between her and her family was erratically received.  She had two children, then divorced her husband in 1951.  Then she disappeared.

Only recently have efforts made by the bride's relatives in Iceland produced information.  They hired professional genealogist Peggy Baldwin in Portland, Oregon, who found living relatives there.  Several people working together have pieced together much of the history of the woman's life and of her children.  One of the key facts still to be learned is the specifics of her eventual fate.

The five installments of the story can be read at http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/12/war_bride_esther_gavin.html.

6 comments:

  1. Lilly Valgerdur OddsdottirJanuary 3, 2012 at 6:17 AM

    http://videos.oregonlive.com/oregonian/2011/12/the_war_bride_--_how_the_orego.html


    http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/12/war_bride_esther_gavin.html

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  2. Thank you, Lilly, for finding my blog! Lilly Oddsdottir is the sister of former Icelandic Prime Minster David Oddsson and a sixth cousin to Esther Sigurdardottir Allen, the war bride who disappeared. The links she posted are to the five-part article and to a video about how The Oregonian published the story about Esther.

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    1. Hi Janice I feel that a correction needs to be stated about this story.Her name is Esther Sigurdardottir Gavin. She had no connections to the Allens except that they adopted her children.

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    2. Hi, I thought that was made clear in the story, but thank you for posting about it.

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    3. Why then do you call her Allen? Also to clarify another fact Lily Oddsdottirs half brother was related to Esther. He was her sixth or seventh cousin not Lily. Just wanted to set the record straight. I know these things matter to some. Thanks again

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    4. I apologize for the mistake I made when posting my comment two years ago. Yes, it should be Gavin.

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