Jonsson, Thorsteinn (Elton) 1921-2001

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JONSSON, Thorsteinn (Elton) 1921-2001

(þorsteinn Elton Jónsson, Tony Jonsson)

PERSONAL: Name is sometimes spelled Þorsteinn Elton Jónsson; born October 19, 1921, in Reykjavik Iceland; died December 30, 2001; father a translator, mother a British nurse; married; wife's name Marianne (marriage ended); married Mabba Thors (a flight attendant; marriage ended); married Katrin Thordardottir (died, 1994); children: seven. Hobbies and other interests: Fishing, watercolor painting.


CAREER: Civilian airplane pilot in Reykjavik, Iceland, beginning c. 1946, including work for Icelandair and Loftleiir; Sabena, pilot in Africa, late 1950s; personal pilot to Congolese (later Zairian) prime minister Patrice Lumumba; pilot in Greenland; pilot of humanitarian relief planes to Biafra, based in São Tome; Cargolux, jet pilot in Luxembourg; retired, 1987. Icelandic Air Rescue Squadron, founder. Military service: Royal Air Force, fighter pilot, c. 1940-1946; served in European theater and North Africa; earned Distinguished Flying Medal.


WRITINGS:

(Under name Tony Jonsson) Dancing in the Skies (autobiography), Seven Hills Books (Cincinnati, OH), 1995.


Author of Lucky Number 13, another memoir, published in Icelandic in 1996.


BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

BOOKS

Jonsson, Tony, Dancing in the Skies, Seven Hills Books (Cincinnati, OH), 1995.

OBITUARIES

PERIODICALS

Times (London, England), February 15, 2002.*

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Jonsson, Thorsteinn (Elton) 1921-2001

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