Obituary of Eric Halfdan Sigmar

Eric Halfdan SIGMAR "When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart and you shall see that in truth, you are weeping for that which has been your delight." - Kahil Gibran We lost the delight of our life on May 15, 2010 - Eric died peacefully at home, surrounded by family. We lose a loving husband, father, grandfather, cousin, uncle, Pastor and friend. He was a vibrant, joyful and profoundly optimistic person who will be dearly missed. Eric was born in Wynyard, Sask., on June 12, 1922. His family moved to Mountain, ND, in 1926, where he grew up and graduated high school. He attended the University of North Dakota and Gettysburg College, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. He then attended the Lutheran Seminary in Philadel phia, following his father and brother into the ministry, and was ordained on June 15, 1947. Spanning 47 years, his ministry included two countries, many congregations, and touched countless lives. His first call was to the Argyle parish in Manitoba, Canada, where he met the love of his life, Svava Palsson, in 1950. They were married one year later on June 14, 1951. In 1953, they traveled abroad, where Eric pursued post-graduate studies in Lund, Sweden, and Reykjavik, Iceland. After returning from Europe, Eric accepted a call at Calvary Lutheran in Seattle. He then organized St. Stephen's church in Winnipeg, Canada. In 1961, he accepted a call to Zion Lutheran in Camas, WA, and in 1965 was called to Messiah Lutheran Church in Auburn, where he served for 22 years until his retirement in 1988. He remained Pastor Emeritus until his death. His retirement didn't last long, as he then served as interim pastor for St. Mark (Anchorage), Dungeness Valley (Sequim), Bethany (Denver), and Family of Grace (Auburn). Eric and Svava pursued their love of travel and adventure by hosting 9 separate international tours, sharing their knowledge and love of other cultures with friends both new and old. Eric loved sports, especially golf, the Huskies and Cougars, and his sometimes woeful but beloved Mariners. He also loved bridge, playing his last game with dear friends just 4 days before his death. Music was a huge part of his life, and his beautiful bass voice graced many celebrations throughout the years. He was involved in the leadership of the Pacific Lutheran Seminary for many years, the Icelandic Men's Chorus and was a member of the Kiwanis Club for over 50 years. Eric is survived and deeply missed by wife Svava, children Elynne (Carv), Bill (Sue), Signy (Jim), Susie (Brad), and Thor (Amy); grandchildren Heather, Kelly & Kasey Moore, Lindsay and Eric Sigmar, Erica and Hilary Hayden, Russell and Allie Roeber, and Kristjan and Alec Sigmar. Also survived by brother Harald (Ethel) and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A celebration of Eric's life will be held Saturday, May 22 at 1:00 pm at Messiah Lutheran Church, Auburn, Washington. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Messiah Lutheran Church Memorial Fund or to the Respite Care at the Auburn Senior Center.