MHM The Honourable Dr. George Johnson - Winnipeg MB - Manitoba Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

Marker Name: The Honourable Dr. George Johnson Agency: Brookside Cemetery celebrating 125 years Languages: English Location: This Marker is in the northeast part of Section C Marker Text: The Honourable Dr. George Johnson Manitoba's 20th Lieutenant Governor The Honourable Dr. George Johnson was born in Winnipeg on November 18, 1820, the eldest son of Jonas and Laufey Johnson. A Canadian of third generation Icelandic background, he was raised in Winnipeg where he attended public school and later the University of Manitoba. In 1941, George enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II serving as a navigation specialist on the North Atlantic and attained the rank of Lieutenant, After the war, he returned to the University of Manitoba Faculty of Medicine graduating in 1950. He began medical practice in Gimli, where he and his wife Doris lived and raised their family. In 1958, he was elected MLA for Gimli Constituency becoming the Minister of Health Public Welfare; Education; and Healthrespectively from 1958 to 1969. He became one of the leading political reformers of his generation and was instrumental in the implementation of medicare in Manitoba, the creation of Red River College, and the establishment of the Universities of Winnipeg and Brandon. In 1986, he was appointed Manitoba's 20th Lieutenant Governor. He was also named a Life Member of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba, the Manitoba Medical Society, and the Manitoba Teachers' Society. The University of Winnipeg awarded Dr. Johnson an Honourary Doctor of Laws degree. In 1994 the Government of Iceland bestowed upon Dr. Johnson its highest honour, the "Order of The Falcon", in recognition of his contribution to the Icelandic community in Manitoba. In that same year the Governor General of Canada conferred on him Canada's highest civilian honour, the "Order of Canada". In recognition of his war record, Dr. Johnson was appointed Honourary Captain of HMSC Chippawa in Winnipeg in 1988. Dr. Johnson is remembered as a man of extraordinary ability, kindness and generosity - one of the great Manitobans of the twentieth century. Dr. Johnson died on July 8, 1995. Section C, Plot 75 Dedicated June 15, 2003 Website: [Web Link] Link to HistoricPlaces.ca or mhs.mb.ca: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   11/15/2013 PeterNoG visited it