Svava Júlíusdóttir is 100 years old today.
Svava Júlíusdóttir celebrates her centenary today. She grew up in Hafnarfjörður, provided a home for her family in Garðabær, but has lived again here in the beautiful fjord for the last quarter of a century.
Svava celebrates her centenary today.
„I have been in good health, cheerful,“ said Svava Júlíusdóttir when asked the classic question of how she had reached such an advanced age. Svava is 100 years old today. She was born in Hafnarfjörður on 30 December 1925 and grew up there. Mayor Valdimar Víðisson presented her with flowers to mark the occasion. They discussed handball and life.
All six of her children had come home to celebrate her hundredth birthday with her. They were preparing for a party to be held this afternoon.
Grew up in Hafnarfjörður
Svava grew up in Hafnarfjörður and went to school here. She had an early interest in sports and played handball. She played for Haukar for many years and won the Icelandic handball championship with her team in 1945. Svava married Ingólfur Egilsson, a barber from Hafnarfjörður, born 4 December 1923, died 2 January 1988. They built a house in Garðabær and lived there for their entire married life. Svava was a housewife and an employee at Frigg cleaning products.
The children of Svava and Ingólfur are: Þórunn b. 1947, Hrefna b. 1949, Sigríður b. 1954, Sigrún b. 1958, Grétar b. 1960 and Júlíus b. 1964. There are 15 grandchildren, 39 great-grandchildren and 3 great-great-grandchildren. Svava's parents were Júlíus Sigurjónsson, born 1901 in Holti, Gerðahreppur, d. 1972, a seaman for most of his life, and Hrefna Halldórsdóttir, born 1894 in Akranes, d. 1955.
Second oldest in a group of siblings
Svava is the second eldest of four siblings and is the only survivor. They were Mundína Soffía Júlíusdóttir, born 21 April 1924, died 15 May 2019, Sigurjón Steinþór Júlíusson, born 9 October 1929, died 20 February 1988, Margrét Júlíusdóttir, b. 17 April 1935, d. 29 June 2010. She had one half-sister, Ragnheiði Guðmundu Sigurgísladóttir, b. 1 September 1918, d. 20 November 1991. Svava has one half-sister. Her name is Guðrún Pálína Júlíusdóttir, b. 27 November 1953.
Svava now lives at Hraunvangi in Hafnarfjörður.
We here at the City of Hafnarfjörður sincerely wish you, Svava, a very happy birthday.