Guðný Árnadóttir was born 26 December 1834 in Vestmannaeyjar. Her parents were Arni Haflidason, born 5 August 1795 and died 26 July 1848; and Gudny Erasmusdottir, born 10 October 1794 and died 14 June 1888. Her mother, Gudny Erasmusdottir, was one of the first Icelanders to come to Utah, in 1857. Gudny Arnadottir married Gudmundur Arnason, born 25 September 1824, died in 1879. She had become a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1881. She immigrated to Utah with her daughter Karolina Gudrun Gudmundsdottir in 1882, arriving on 10 August.
Gudny was the mother of nine children, three of whom died in infancy. Two of her daughters stayed in Iceland, Margret and Jorunn. Three of her daughters followed her to Utah, Johanna, Jonina Helga and Kristin.
Gudny was a modest and humble woman, and she spent the first years of her life in Utah helping in the homes of her Icelandic friends. When Petur Valgardsson was called on a mission to Iceland, Gudny became the companion of Mrs. Valgardsson. Her first twenty-two years were spent at the home of her daughter, Johanna (Hannah Johnson), who married Sigurdur Jonsson, where she was lovingly cared for until her death 7 December 1916.
