Born: 22 July 1893 in Lier, Buskerud, Norway
Married: 10 Sept 1921, Oslo, Akershus, Norway
Died: 2 April 1988 at Solbaerelva, Buskerud, Norway
Einar Antonsen was the son of Ingvald Andreas Antonsen, who had sailed on the famous exploration vessel, Fram, with the Arctic explorer Fritjoff Nansen, and Jonine Randine Marie Kristensen-Bonde (known as Jana).
There were five Antonsen boys and they were lively and out-going. As they lived on the strand in Lier, they became collectively known as "Stranda guttene", or the Strand boys. Eventually they became known as Antonsen-Strand, but the name was cumbersome and as time passed they dropped the Antonsen entirely in favor of Strand. This was a time in Norway when the patronymic name system was being done away for a more permanent last name.
Among Einar's brothers were the famous Martinius Strand, who was inducted to the U.S. National Ski Hall of Fame in 1958, and the Utah Skiing Hall of Fame and was later honored in the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics for helping to bring skiing as a sport to Utah; and Erling Strand, who stayed in Lier and worked for Shell Oil.
Einar was an excellent leader and administrator. People often went to him for advice and loved him. He could play the mandolin. He worked in several different fields during the depression years (which was world wide and also felt in Norway in the late 20s and 30s) before he found his life's work as a foreman at the Oslo harbor. He was trained in Forestry and worked for a while marking trees for a logging company. He would point to various trees with his walking stick as you hiked and tell you the name and things about them. He loved nature, small animals and children.
Einar was a great story-teller. He could really hold an audience's attention. He loved to read and always had books in the house. He had a real sense of humor and was also very tender-hearted. He loved soccer and helped start a soccer league with his brothers.
He loved his wife's home cooking. However, he wasn't afraid to help in the kitchen. He could cook all the basics. He made a terrific lapskaus (corned beef and potato stew), soups and other dishes.
Einar married Sigrid Sophie Olsen, a widow, and had four children: Per, Knut, Anne-Berit and Inger-Mari (also known as Inger Marie or Lillemor).
He served as branch president of the Oslo, Norway branch of the LDS church for many years. He was a faithful and dependable servant of the Lord all his life.
Einar played an active role in the Underground movement fighting against the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II. He was arrested by the Gestapo twice for his actions, but was miraculously released on both occasions. Following World War II, Einar took his entire family on a trip to Sweden for a vacation.
Einar spoke some English. He made one overseas trip to London, England, in the early 70s to attend the LDS temple after his wife passed away.
To the delight of his family, he was placed in an old folks home in the countryside outside of Drammen, his home town, when he was no longer able to live alone without supervision. (Lillemor was working during the day and could not care for him any longer.) He spent his last months on the earth in the place he loved the most.
