Lillias Bjornson: Difference between revisions
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'''Lillias Bjornson ( | '''Lillias Bjornson (née Helyar)''' (born 1937) is a Vancouver resident. | ||
She was from 2017 to 2018 the treasurer of the Thomas Merton Society of Canada. [https://www.merton.ca/contactindex.html] | She was from 2017 to 2018 the treasurer of the Thomas Merton Society of Canada. [https://www.merton.ca/contactindex.html] | ||
In 2021 she stepped down as Trustee and Treasurer of St. Andrew's Church in Vancouver [https://www.st-andrews-united.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/final-2021-Annual-Report.pdf]. | |||
==Early life== | ==Early life== | ||
Lillias Helyar was born to [[Flora Helyar]] and [[Charles Helyar]] in 1937; this makes her a granddaughter of [[Alex Currie]]. | |||
Lillias might have been named after her father Charles' sister, [[Lillias Taylor]] (1911-2012) [https://www.hpmcgarry.ca/obituaries/Lillias-Mary-Taylor?obId=44983615]. | |||
She also had a stepmother [[Ann Vidal]] who was married to her father from when she was 13 years old, from 1950 to 1993 when her father died. Presumably she was quite close to Ann and her step-siblings. | |||
==Marriage and family== | ==Marriage and family== | ||
She married [[Harrill Bjornson (1933- | She married [[Harrill Bjornson]] (1933 - 2022) on 24 November 1958. Her husband was a former reporter and editor at the Vancouver Sun, and was born in Iceland. | ||
It is possible somehow this Icelandic connection came from [[Charles Helyar]]'s second wife [[Ann Vidal]] who seems to have had a very extensive family including Icelandic people. Maybe that is where she met him. | |||
Harrill remarried in the 1960s or 1970s and died in 2022 [https://vancouversunandprovince.remembering.ca/obituary/kristinn-bjornson-1086669282]. | |||
==Children== | |||
Lillias and [[Harrill Bjornson|Harrill]] had four children: | |||
===[[Lisa Bjornson]]=== | |||
Born December 12, 1959 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lisa married [[Philip Glen]] on December 12, 2012. She had two previous marriages. Philip died on February 28, 2025 [https://www.squamishchief.com/in-the-community/squamish-obituary-philip-john-glen-10343736]. Lisa has no children. She owns and operates real estate agencies in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, B.C., serving as managing broker of Royal LePage Black Tusk Realty [https://www.blacktuskrealty.com/about-us/our-team/] [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-bjornson-006299b/]. | |||
===[[Sean Bjornson|Sean Kristinn Bjornson]]=== | |||
Born January 21, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta. Sean married [[Stacy McColl]] in July 1997. He is now retired. He previously was an independent insurance adjuster and owned his own company, Bjornson & Company Claims Adjusters Ltd, which he founded in 2011. | |||
Sean has two children from a prior relationship: | |||
* '''[[Matthew Bjornson|Matthew Kristinn Bjornson]]''' — Born June 25, 1985 in North Vancouver. Matthew has two children: | |||
** '''[[Connor Bjornson|Connor Henry Bjornson]]''' — Born December 15, 2011 in North Vancouver. | |||
** '''[[Logan Bjornson|Logan Alouis Bjornson]]''' — Born December 15, 2011 in North Vancouver. Connor and Logan are twins. | |||
* '''[[Tyson Bjornson|Tyson Torchy Bjornson]]''' — Born February 12, 1989 in North Vancouver. Tyson has two children in a relationship with [[Riley Grimshaw]]: | |||
** '''[[Ellie Bjornson|Ellie May Bjornson]]''' — Born April 9, 2024 in North Vancouver. | |||
** '''[[Wyatt Bjornson|Wyatt Philip Bjornson]]''' — Born August 21, 2025 in North Vancouver. | |||
===[[Kit Bjornson|Kit Royden Bjornson]]=== | |||
Born June 19, 1964 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Kit married [[Judy Wells]] in spring 1990. He is a high school geography teacher. | |||
Kit and Judy have two children: | |||
* '''[[Chris Bjornson]]''' — Born May 25, 1991 in North Vancouver. | |||
* '''[[Leah Bjornson|Leah June Bjornson]]''' — Born August 20, 1993 in North Vancouver. Leah is a media professional who has worked as Executive Producer (Western Canada) at Postmedia Network and previously as Managing Editor of Hive Labs at Daily Hive [https://www.linkedin.com/in/leah-bjornson-59b01570/]. She married [[David Dyck]] in June 2022. They have one child: | |||
** '''[[Freya Dyck|Freya Lillias Dyck]]''' — Born September 29, 2024 in Vancouver. | |||
===[[Lee Bjornson|Lee Charles Bjornson]]=== | |||
Born September 20, 1965 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Lee married [[Kathleen Baba|Kathleen Michele Baba]] in July 1991. | |||
Lee has one child from a previous relationship: | |||
* '''[[James Botto|James Fletcher Botto]]''' — Born December 20, 1988 in North Vancouver. | |||
Lee has another child from his marriage with [[Kathleen Baba|Kathy]]: | |||
* '''[[Kiyomi Bjornson|Kiyomi Lillias Bjornson]]''' — Born May 6, 1995 in North Vancouver. | |||
| | |||
Lee is an independent insurance adjuster with his own company. | |||
==Summary of descendants== | |||
Lillias has 15 direct descendants as of February 2026, comprising: | |||
* Four children: [[Lisa Bjornson|Lisa]], [[Sean Bjornson|Sean]], [[Kit Bjornson|Kit]], and [[Lee Bjornson|Lee]]. | |||
* Six grandchildren: [[Matthew Bjornson|Matthew]], [[James Botto|James]], [[Tyson Bjornson|Tyson]], [[Chris Bjornson|Chris]], [[Leah Bjornson|Leah]], and [[Kiyomi Bjornson|Kiyomi]]. | |||
* Five great-grandchildren: [[Connor Bjornson|Connor]], [[Logan Bjornson|Logan]], [[Ellie Bjornson|Ellie]], [[Freya Dyck|Freya]], and [[Wyatt Bjornson|Wyatt]]. | |||
==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
Ron Currie | * [[Ron Currie]] | ||
* [[Marilyn Hermiston]] | |||
Marilyn Hermiston | * Email from [[Lillias Bjornson]] to [[Michael Currie]], February 2026 | ||
* https://web.facebook.com/lillias.bjornson/?_rdc=1&_rdr# | |||
Latest revision as of 06:26, 8 February 2026
Lillias Bjornson (née Helyar) (born 1937) is a Vancouver resident.
She was from 2017 to 2018 the treasurer of the Thomas Merton Society of Canada. [1]
In 2021 she stepped down as Trustee and Treasurer of St. Andrew's Church in Vancouver [2].
Early life
Lillias Helyar was born to Flora Helyar and Charles Helyar in 1937; this makes her a granddaughter of Alex Currie.
Lillias might have been named after her father Charles' sister, Lillias Taylor (1911-2012) [3].
She also had a stepmother Ann Vidal who was married to her father from when she was 13 years old, from 1950 to 1993 when her father died. Presumably she was quite close to Ann and her step-siblings.
Marriage and family
She married Harrill Bjornson (1933 - 2022) on 24 November 1958. Her husband was a former reporter and editor at the Vancouver Sun, and was born in Iceland.
It is possible somehow this Icelandic connection came from Charles Helyar's second wife Ann Vidal who seems to have had a very extensive family including Icelandic people. Maybe that is where she met him.
Harrill remarried in the 1960s or 1970s and died in 2022 [4].
Children
Lillias and Harrill had four children:
Lisa Bjornson
Born December 12, 1959 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Lisa married Philip Glen on December 12, 2012. She had two previous marriages. Philip died on February 28, 2025 [5]. Lisa has no children. She owns and operates real estate agencies in Squamish, Whistler and Pemberton, B.C., serving as managing broker of Royal LePage Black Tusk Realty [6] [7].
Sean Kristinn Bjornson
Born January 21, 1961 in Edmonton, Alberta. Sean married Stacy McColl in July 1997. He is now retired. He previously was an independent insurance adjuster and owned his own company, Bjornson & Company Claims Adjusters Ltd, which he founded in 2011.
Sean has two children from a prior relationship:
- Matthew Kristinn Bjornson — Born June 25, 1985 in North Vancouver. Matthew has two children:
- Connor Henry Bjornson — Born December 15, 2011 in North Vancouver.
- Logan Alouis Bjornson — Born December 15, 2011 in North Vancouver. Connor and Logan are twins.
- Tyson Torchy Bjornson — Born February 12, 1989 in North Vancouver. Tyson has two children in a relationship with Riley Grimshaw:
- Ellie May Bjornson — Born April 9, 2024 in North Vancouver.
- Wyatt Philip Bjornson — Born August 21, 2025 in North Vancouver.
Kit Royden Bjornson
Born June 19, 1964 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Kit married Judy Wells in spring 1990. He is a high school geography teacher.
Kit and Judy have two children:
- Chris Bjornson — Born May 25, 1991 in North Vancouver.
- Leah June Bjornson — Born August 20, 1993 in North Vancouver. Leah is a media professional who has worked as Executive Producer (Western Canada) at Postmedia Network and previously as Managing Editor of Hive Labs at Daily Hive [8]. She married David Dyck in June 2022. They have one child:
- Freya Lillias Dyck — Born September 29, 2024 in Vancouver.
Lee Charles Bjornson
Born September 20, 1965 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Lee married Kathleen Michele Baba in July 1991.
Lee has one child from a previous relationship:
- James Fletcher Botto — Born December 20, 1988 in North Vancouver.
Lee has another child from his marriage with Kathy:
- Kiyomi Lillias Bjornson — Born May 6, 1995 in North Vancouver.
Lee is an independent insurance adjuster with his own company.
Summary of descendants
Lillias has 15 direct descendants as of February 2026, comprising:
- Four children: Lisa, Sean, Kit, and Lee.
- Six grandchildren: Matthew, James, Tyson, Chris, Leah, and Kiyomi.
- Five great-grandchildren: Connor, Logan, Ellie, Freya, and Wyatt.
Sources
- Ron Currie
- Marilyn Hermiston
- Email from Lillias Bjornson to Michael Currie, February 2026
- https://web.facebook.com/lillias.bjornson/?_rdc=1&_rdr#