Guðrún Katrín Þorbergsdóttir | |
|---|---|
| First Lady of Iceland | |
| In role 1 August 1996 – 12 October 1998 | |
| President | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson |
| Preceded by | Halldóra Eldjárn |
| Succeeded by | Dorrit Moussaieff |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 August 1934 |
| Died | 12 October 1998(1998-10-12) (aged 64) |
| Spouse(s) | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (1974–1998, her death) |
| Children | 4 |
Guðrún Katrín Þorbergsdóttir (pronounced[ˈkvʏðrunˈkʰaːtrinˈθɔrpɛrksˌtouʰtɪr̥]; 14 August 1934 – 12 October 1998) was theFirst Lady ofIceland from 1996 to 1998. She was the first wife ofIcelandic presidentÓlafur Ragnar Grímsson.[1]
Guðrún Katrín studiedarchaeology andsociology. She was the General Manager of the Postal Workers Union for nearly 20 years, and managed a clothing store in downtown Reykjavík. She was also active inpolitics and held acity council post in the town ofSeltjarnarnes for 16 years.[2] She married Ólafur in 1974 and the following year gave birth totwin daughters, Guðrún Tinna and Svanhildur Dalla.
Guðrún Katrín was very popular in Iceland, and her charm andcharisma are considered by many as one of the main reasons her husband was elected president of Iceland in June 1996. Guðrún Katrín was diagnosed withleukemia in September 1997. She spent the last few months of her life under the care of specialists inSeattle, Washington, with her family by her side, until her death in October 1998.[3] Her death after a long and difficult struggle, at the age of 64, was a shock to her family and the Icelandic nation.[4]
| Honorary titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Vacant Title last held by Halldóra Eldjárn | First Lady of Iceland 1996–1998 | Vacant Title next held by Dorrit Moussaieff |
