Guðrún Birna Gísladóttir, longtime Grund director, dies at 82

Guðrún Birna Gísladóttir, the former director of Grund nursing home, died on October 20, aged 82, mbl.is reported.

Born at Grund on July 1, 1944, she was the daughter of Gísli Sigurbjörnsson, who led the nursing home, and Helga Björnsdóttir. Her grandfather, the Rev. Sigurbjörn Ástvaldur Gíslason, was among Grund’s founders, making Guðrún the third generation of her family to lead it.

She worked alongside her father for many years and joined Grund’s board in 1979. She became director after his death in early 1994, the first woman in Iceland to lead a nursing home. During her tenure, Grund expanded, the Ás nursing home opened in 1998, operations at Mörk began in 2010, and service apartments for older people were built.

Guðrún retired on her 75th birthday, July 1, 2019, after 52 years at Grund. She remained on the board until her death and attended her final board meeting the day before she died.

In 2023, she received the Order of the Falcon for her care and service to older people. She was also given a recognition award by the Association of Women in Business in 2009.