Shelter Island event for San Diego hall to take place March 17

The Sons of Norway is one of the largest ethnic fraternal benefit societies in the world. The largest Sons of Norway Lodge in Southern California is in San Diego — Valhall Lodge 6-25. In Point Loma, a detailed legacy of Norwegian heritage is kept alive through Lucy Leon’s hobby of genealogy. Leon, and her husband, Frederick Martin Leon, who died in 2008, shared involvement in the Valhall Lodge and enjoyed travel to Norway. Frederick attended Point Loma High School, where he played football in 1943 before he interrupted his education to join the Navy during World War II. At her home in Loma Portal, Leon’s dining table is covered with books and binders, photographs and maps that trace the Leon family heritage back to 1895, when Frederick’s mother, Kristine Marie Johnsen, was born one of 10 children in Skog, on the Island of Rolla, Troms, Norway. Kristine immigrated to the United States and made her way from New York to Washington and then California, where she married Frederick Leon, a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico. Frederick Sr. was a Navy man who moved to San Diego and eventually owned a health-food store on Seventh Avenue until he died in 1995 at the age of 105. The Leon family history is the kind of conversation that stirs pride, especially during a centennial celebration. On March 17, the Valhall Lodge will commemorate the lodge’s 100th anniversary with a gala at the Kona Kai Resort on Shelter Island. Tickets for the gala are $65 per person. Founded on March 24, 1912, the lodge offers the experience of Norway with rosemaling, woodcarving, cooking and Norwegian genealogy research. Lucy and Frederick Martin Leon made three extended trips to Norway. “We have seen more of Norway than the natives,” Lucy said. “We’ve been from bottom to top, back and forth and all over.” During her travels, Lucy’s mission was to visit and connect all of the descendents related to Kristine Johnsen and her siblings. She found them all and made oversize black scrapbook binders full of photos and genealogy for everyone, including one for her own family. Through her efforts, Norwegian countrymen who didn’t know they were related became acquainted. Lucy and Frederick Martin Leon have five children and six grandchildren. Their granddaughter, Mary Grace Chosn, 18, a student at Our Lady of Peace, carries on her Norweigian heritage through her involvement at the House of Norway in Balboa Park, where she has served as queen since 2010. Lucy said her large family is multinational, with one son-in-law who is Lebanese, a daughter-in-law who is Chinese and another daughter-in-law who is Irish. Thanks to Lucy’s hobby, all of their children will be able to trace some of their roots back to Norway. For more information on the Valhall Lodge, visit www.lodgeofvalhall.com. For tickets to the 100th anniversary of the Valhall Lodge, call (619) 299-9237.