Raufarhöfn electrician and community leader Helgi Ólafsson dies at 97

Helgi Ólafsson, a master electrician and longtime community figure in Raufarhöfn, has died at the age of 97, mbl.is reports. He died at the Hvammur care home on October 27.

Born in Raufarhöfn on May 31, 1929, Ólafsson grew up there. He completed his electrician’s apprenticeship in 1950 at the Siglufjörður Industrial School and qualified as a master electrician in 1955. He worked in the trade throughout his career, mostly for the State Herring Factories and later SR-mjöl, as well as independently in Raufarhöfn into old age.

Ólafsson hunted ptarmigan every autumn from the age of 12 until he was over 90. He was also an artist: a sculpture he created, called The Dragon, was unveiled on the harbour wall in 2015.

He served for many years on Raufarhöfn’s local council and was the town’s fire chief for several years. He was active in the Independence Party and attended numerous national meetings. In the 2024 parliamentary election, he held an honorary place on a candidate list and was the oldest candidate in the country.

For about 30 years, Ólafsson was Morgunblaðið’s representative and correspondent in Raufarhöfn, reporting on local life, business and community affairs. He was among the founders of the Raufarhöfn Lions Club and was the first chair of the town’s association for older people, serving from its founding in 2014 until 2020.

He received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of the Falcon in 2021 for his contributions to business, art and culture in his community. He was also named Industrial Worker of the Year in 2020, aged 91.

His wife, Stella Borgþóra Þorláksdóttir, survives him. They had six children and 59 descendants. His funeral will be held at Raufarhöfn Church on November 7.