One of Manitoba's biggest names in the funeral service business died at the age of 69 last week.

Neil Bardal, owner of the Neil Bardal funeral company, passed after a long battle with cancer.

Flags were flown at half mast Sunday outside his funeral home on Notre Dame Avenue in Winnipeg.

He once ran the Bardal Funeral Home on Sherbrook Street.

He was an active member in the community, serving as a former honorary consul general of Iceland, past president of the Icelandic National League of North America and director of the Canada Iceland Foundation.

In 2006, he was the recipient of the Order of Manitoba for his leadership work in the Icelandic community.

In 2000, Bardal was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Icelandic Order of the Falcon, the highest honour bestowed by the Icelandic government.