Times Staff
Carol Gardarsson, the former publisher of the Clearwater Times and the Barriere Star/Journal, passed away May 11 after a two-year battle with cancer.
She was 66 years old.
Gardarsson was the publisher of the Times from when it was acquired by Black Press in the fall of 1997 until the fall of 1999. She was publisher of the Barriere Star/Journal for several years before that as well.
While at the Times she helped this newspaper win second place for best all-round newspaper in its circulation class from Canadian Community Newspaper Association in 1998, and third place for best newspaper promotion from CCNA in 1999.
She and her husband, Gardar, who had been the sales manager for the two newspapers, then moved to the Sunshine Coast, where she worked for several newspapers, including the Coast Reporter and The Local.
In 2006 she self-published a book titled Brewing Evil: A Witch is Born. It was a historical fiction novel is set in 18th century Manitoba and involved extensive research into the everyday life of Icelandic settlers there.
The book has since grown to a series of five, at least one of which has been translated into Icelandic.
After spending several years on the Sunshine Coast the Gardarssons lived in Manitoba for a number of years before moving back to Sechelt.
Gardar Gardarsson visited Clearwater last week on his way to Manitoba, where he planned on attending the graduation of one of Carol’s grandchildren, something he had promised her he would do.
“Carol was a warrior. She’s the strongest person I ever knew. And she always had a smile on her face,” Gardar said.
Carol Gardarsson is also survived by three daughters and five grandchildren.