Obituary for Agnes Comack (Bardal)
Agnes Bardal Comack led an exceptional life. Her story is remarkable not simply because she lived for a century but also because it is a testament to a woman who dedicated her life to the service of others.
Born in Winnipeg on August 23, 1921 to Arinbjorn and Margrét Bardal, Agnes was the second-youngest of 12 children. She grew up in a home she cherished on the bank of the Red River in North Kildonan and spent her childhood getting into mischief with her sister Margrét Stefania while her father ran the Bardal Funeral Home and her mother took care of the family. Perhaps because she was one of the youngest siblings and thus many of her older brothers and sisters were out of the house by the time she was born, Agnes had a very close relationship with both her Mamma and Pabbi. As a child, she was encouraged to study piano and take up embroidery and knitting, which she continued throughout her life. Every member of her large family can attest to her incredible skill with their own collection of her knitted hats, socks, mitts, and sweaters – often made of Icelandic wool.
After finishing high school, and with few options for women at that time, Agnes registered in the nursing program at the Winnipeg General Hospital. Anyone who knows Agnes has heard of the mustard plasters and aseptic techniques she used at the time, far superior to those used today (she would gladly remind you of how few infections they had back in her day). From her telling, her nurse’s uniform was so immaculately starched you could hear it rustling from down the hallway as she made her rounds on the ward. Agnes graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1943 alongside her dear friend Ruthie Thompson and worked in military hospitals across the country. One of her many letters home told of her experiences nursing POWs and TB patients in Quebec. It was in 1945, while working at the Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg, that she met Hugh Comack, back from the war and recovering from surgery. They were married just a year later — a marriage that lasted 67 years, 48 of which were spent in their home on Valley View Drive. Agnes and Hugh had four children – Margrét (Mitchell), Donald (Jude), Elizabeth (Wayne), and Alyson (Scott). Their family grew to include ten grandchildren — Shannon (Jody), Tom (Amity), Tannis (Todd), Arin (Aleli), Tim, Donald, Jessica, Arthur (Heather), Stefanie (Leon), and Ben — and eleven great-grandchildren — Noah, Owen, Cowan, Greydon, Avery, William, Matthew, Joan, Ruth, Haddy, and Saskia.
Agnes was not one to sit idly by while life happened around her. In 1957, she and Hugh leased a plot of land on Caddy Lake. Agnes, the kids, and the dog lived in a one-room shack on the lakefront as Hugh worked in the city during the week. They eventually built their cottage, which became a gathering place for the entire family as it grew larger over the years. She taught herself to use a sewing machine and made the children’s clothes, bedspreads, and drapes from upcycled material. Always active, Agnes firmly believed that exercising your body and mind was key to a good life. As she’d say, “You have to train for old age,” which she did regularly through stretch and strength or Pilates classes. Even well into her 90s, Agnes would never hesitate to get down on the floor and demonstrate a plank. At age 50, she took classes in painting, drawing, and calligraphy, eventually showing her award-winning paintings at various shows and festivals around the province and even selling several of them to the City of Winnipeg. She began designing her own Christmas cards in 1982 and amassed a Christmas card list of over 400 recipients. If you were lucky enough to be on her list, you’ll know that she took the time to write everyone a note, as signing her name simply wasn’t enough – “What’s the sense? All you’re telling me is that you’re still alive.” For Agnes, writing was a means of not only staying connected to her wide circle of family and friends, but of recording her history. She wrote and kept letters throughout her life – many of which have survived to this day – as well as essays about her experiences growing up as the daughter of Icelandic immigrants in North Kildonan. Agnes has had over 20 articles and two books of her writings published, preserving a history that would have otherwise been forgotten.
The true matriarch of our family, Agnes Bardal Comack – often referred to as “Angel Ammie, love of my life” by her little boosies (at her suggestion, of course) – was ultimately a woman who held family and relationships in the highest regard. She lived her life from a place of connection, never letting life’s challenges inform how she showed up in the world. From bubbly child to caring nurse to impeccable hostess to the social butterfly of the Wellington Retirement Residence, Agnes lived her father’s adage: “You’ve got to know your connections.”
Agnes left this world on October 15, 2021, knowing that she had been well loved by so many and that she had fulfilled her duty in making sure her family appreciates the depth of their roots.
It was Agnes’ wish that donations in her memory be made to the Neil Bardal Scholarship fund of the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE fund c/o 111-132 Marrington Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5Y5
Born in Winnipeg on August 23, 1921 to Arinbjorn and Margrét Bardal, Agnes was the second-youngest of 12 children. She grew up in a home she cherished on the bank of the Red River in North Kildonan and spent her childhood getting into mischief with her sister Margrét Stefania while her father ran the Bardal Funeral Home and her mother took care of the family. Perhaps because she was one of the youngest siblings and thus many of her older brothers and sisters were out of the house by the time she was born, Agnes had a very close relationship with both her Mamma and Pabbi. As a child, she was encouraged to study piano and take up embroidery and knitting, which she continued throughout her life. Every member of her large family can attest to her incredible skill with their own collection of her knitted hats, socks, mitts, and sweaters – often made of Icelandic wool.
After finishing high school, and with few options for women at that time, Agnes registered in the nursing program at the Winnipeg General Hospital. Anyone who knows Agnes has heard of the mustard plasters and aseptic techniques she used at the time, far superior to those used today (she would gladly remind you of how few infections they had back in her day). From her telling, her nurse’s uniform was so immaculately starched you could hear it rustling from down the hallway as she made her rounds on the ward. Agnes graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1943 alongside her dear friend Ruthie Thompson and worked in military hospitals across the country. One of her many letters home told of her experiences nursing POWs and TB patients in Quebec. It was in 1945, while working at the Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg, that she met Hugh Comack, back from the war and recovering from surgery. They were married just a year later — a marriage that lasted 67 years, 48 of which were spent in their home on Valley View Drive. Agnes and Hugh had four children – Margrét (Mitchell), Donald (Jude), Elizabeth (Wayne), and Alyson (Scott). Their family grew to include ten grandchildren — Shannon (Jody), Tom (Amity), Tannis (Todd), Arin (Aleli), Tim, Donald, Jessica, Arthur (Heather), Stefanie (Leon), and Ben — and eleven great-grandchildren — Noah, Owen, Cowan, Greydon, Avery, William, Matthew, Joan, Ruth, Haddy, and Saskia.
Agnes was not one to sit idly by while life happened around her. In 1957, she and Hugh leased a plot of land on Caddy Lake. Agnes, the kids, and the dog lived in a one-room shack on the lakefront as Hugh worked in the city during the week. They eventually built their cottage, which became a gathering place for the entire family as it grew larger over the years. She taught herself to use a sewing machine and made the children’s clothes, bedspreads, and drapes from upcycled material. Always active, Agnes firmly believed that exercising your body and mind was key to a good life. As she’d say, “You have to train for old age,” which she did regularly through stretch and strength or Pilates classes. Even well into her 90s, Agnes would never hesitate to get down on the floor and demonstrate a plank. At age 50, she took classes in painting, drawing, and calligraphy, eventually showing her award-winning paintings at various shows and festivals around the province and even selling several of them to the City of Winnipeg. She began designing her own Christmas cards in 1982 and amassed a Christmas card list of over 400 recipients. If you were lucky enough to be on her list, you’ll know that she took the time to write everyone a note, as signing her name simply wasn’t enough – “What’s the sense? All you’re telling me is that you’re still alive.” For Agnes, writing was a means of not only staying connected to her wide circle of family and friends, but of recording her history. She wrote and kept letters throughout her life – many of which have survived to this day – as well as essays about her experiences growing up as the daughter of Icelandic immigrants in North Kildonan. Agnes has had over 20 articles and two books of her writings published, preserving a history that would have otherwise been forgotten.
The true matriarch of our family, Agnes Bardal Comack – often referred to as “Angel Ammie, love of my life” by her little boosies (at her suggestion, of course) – was ultimately a woman who held family and relationships in the highest regard. She lived her life from a place of connection, never letting life’s challenges inform how she showed up in the world. From bubbly child to caring nurse to impeccable hostess to the social butterfly of the Wellington Retirement Residence, Agnes lived her father’s adage: “You’ve got to know your connections.”
Agnes left this world on October 15, 2021, knowing that she had been well loved by so many and that she had fulfilled her duty in making sure her family appreciates the depth of their roots.
It was Agnes’ wish that donations in her memory be made to the Neil Bardal Scholarship fund of the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE fund c/o 111-132 Marrington Road, Winnipeg, MB R3T 5Y5