Dee Dee
Jonrowe

LATEST

1980
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016 - Bib
R - 24
10
10
-
31
45

Direct link to this page: http://bit.ly/fGSSpn

Bio
Results
Related Issue: Iditarod Racers, Women Racers Directory, Women in Racing, Women Racers, More Women in Racing, Race Schedules, Notable Women
Contact:
www.deedeejonrowe.com

Bio

2016

DeeDee Jonrowe, 62, was born in Frankfort, Germany, while her father was in the military. The family moved to Alaska in 1971 where her dad was stationed at Ft. Richardson. DeeDee has a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and Renewable Resources and now lists her occupation as kennel owner and dog racer. She began mushing in 1979 when she was living in Bethel and her mother was excited about volunteering in the early Iditarod races. She says, “This will be my 34th Iditarod start, 16 finishes in the top 10. My competitors have become my family; sometimes dysfunctional, but still I love them dearly. As I have lost most of my immediate family and all my worldly belongings except my dogs, along with my close neighbors, I have seen the very best in hearts of Iditarod fans, volunteers and competitors, all of whom have reached out to support each of us. This race for me has always been about the passion for my dogs and culture of the Alaskans in the rural areas. Now it has once again expanded to my being reminded how very good people are. And that, faced with the choice of all my material belongings or my dogs, my first reflex was to save my dogs. God gave me that privilege. I lost everything else. Only relationships really last.” DeeDee is a member of the Big Lake Baptist Church, the Willow Running Club and the State Veterinarian Licensing Board. She says her hobbies and interests include “training Labrador Retrievers, Pekingese Rescue, Quality of Life opportunities particularly for senior citizens, hiking and trail running in back country and the history of early Alaska during territorial days.” DeeDee is married to Mike, secretary of the Iditarod’s Board of Directors.

Hometown: Willow, AK

DeeDee Jonrowe, 58, was born in Frankfort Germany while her father was in the military. The family moved to Alaska in 1971 where her dad was stationed at Ft. Richardson. DeeDee has a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and Renewable Resources and now lists her occupation as kennel owner and dog racer. She began mushing in 1979 when she was living in Bethel and her mother was excited about the early Iditarod races. She says, "The Iditarod has become my lifestyle choice that permitted me a chance to celebrate Alaska's history and the partnership that dogs have had in it. I have had a chance to experience this relationship and to bond with the Alaskan culture that I admire. God has blessed me with the health to once again travel through His most beautiful handiwork, experiencing a reflection of His unconditional love thru the bond I have with my team. The volunteers and residents of rural Alaska are an important element of the experience for me, and I am blessed to continue participating in this race." DeeDee is a member of the Big Lake Baptist Church and is involved in co-ed softball. She says in her spare time she enjoys Labrador retrievers and Pekingese's and she is an advocate of in-state cancer care and treatment. She is a triathlete and bike racer. DeeDee is married to Mike.

DeeDee Jonrowe, 54, was born in Frankfort Germany while her father was in the military. The family moved to Alaska in 1971 where her dad was stationed at Ft. Richardson. DeeDee has a B.S. degree in Biological Sciences and Renewable Resources and now lists her occupation as kennel owner and dog racer. She says, "The Iditarod has become my lifestyle choice that permitted me a chance to celebrate Alaska's history and the partnership that dogs have had in it. I have had a chance to experience this relationship and to bond with the Alaskan culture that I admire. God has blessed me with the health to once again travel through His most beautiful handiwork, experiencing a reflection of His unconditional love thru the bond I have with my team. The volunteers and residents of rural Alaska are an important element of the experience for me, and I am blessed to continue participating in this race." DeeDee is a member of the Valley Women's Running Team and the Big Lake Baptist Church. She says in her spare time she enjoys Labrador retrievers, Pekingese's and mountain running. She is a triathlete and bike racer. DeeDee is married to Mike.

Dee Dee finished 15th of 95 mushers in the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and won $26,500.  GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award- Presented by Gary Samuelson (GCI Nome Alaska) to Dee Dee Jonrowe from Willow Alaska who was the first musher to arrive in Cripple Alaska. Dee Dee received a beautiful trophy and $3,000 in gold nuggets and which she said she’d be giving to her husband, Mike, who celebrated his birthday on the day Jonrowe reached Cripple.

DeeDee Jonrowe lives in Willow, Alaska with her husband. She is the only musher who competed in both the Alpirod and Iditarod for 3 years straight (1992, 1993, and 1994). Her best place in the Iditarod was 2nd in 1993. She has consistently placed in the top ten for the past.

She grew up loving dogs, though she had no idea what a dog musher was. She was born December 20, 1953 in Frankfurt, Germany. Her father was in the army, and the army brought her family to Alaska when she was in high-school. Growing up she had many pets, dogs, a cat, a horse, and guinea pigs that she used to play with instead of dolls. She had a younger sister named Linda.

DeeDee went to college at UAF (University of Alaska Fairbanks), and studied wildlife management. Her first introduction to dog sledding and the Iditarod was in 1978. Her college basketball team was visiting in Nome to compete in a tournament, while they were there she got to watch Rick Swenson win the Iditarod.

Seeing Rick win the Iditarod inspired her to get into mushing. She had her first race that same year. She begged a friend of hers, Walt Palmer, to let her drive five of his dogs in the Anchorage Fur Rendezvous Women's World Championship. She didn't do well on this, her first race. But that was soon to change.

In 1977 she married Mike Jonrowe. Later she and Mike bought some dogs and DeeDee began mushing. By the fall of 1979 she had 25 dogs. She registered for her first Iditarod in 1980.

"It's my goal to always do better. Only one spot in the standings would allow me to say I had done better - first place."

DeeDee has authored a book about preparing for the Iditarod called Iditarod Dreams. During the off-season she contributes much of her time giving back to Alaska. She will often take some of her dogs and visit children in the hospital and make other community appearances.

In October of 1996, she was severely injured in an automobile accident near Fairbanks. Having spent weeks in the hospital, DeeDee was nonetheless ready to face the challenge of "The Last Great Race" again and finished 4th in 1997, in a very close race.

http://library.thinkquest.org/11313/Iditarod/deedee.html

dee dee photo on trail - iditarodtrail

Results

Dee Dee finished 15th of 95 mushers in the 2008 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and won $26,500.  GCI Dorothy G. Page Halfway Award- Presented by Gary Samuelson (GCI Nome Alaska) to Dee Dee Jonrowe from Willow Alaska who was the first musher to arrive in Cripple Alaska. Dee Dee received a beautiful trophy and $3,000 in gold nuggets and which she said she’d be giving to her husband, Mike, who celebrated his birthday on the day Jonrowe reached Cripple. In 2009, she finished 13th.

She's be racing the Iditarod since 1980 and has finished in the top 10 15 time, nine of those in the top five including a second in 1998 and 1993. She finsihed 10th in 2012 and 2013 and was the first off the line in the 2011 Iditarod.

*    *    *



WomenInRacing.org
©1996-2023 by Gordon Clay