|
LATEST
Dee Dee is a musher in the 2012 Iditarod.
Dee Dee is the first off the line in the 2011
Iditarod.
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
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.
* * *
WomenInRacing.org
©1996-2012 by Gordon Clay
|
