Iditarod legend remembered for energy, passion for life

August 8, 2006

By CASEY RESSLER/Frontiersman Susan Butcher, one of Alaska's most recognizable icons, died Saturday at age 51 after a battle with leukemia, but those who knew her say her legacy will live forever in the lore of Alaska history.

Butcher, a four-time Iditarod champion and ambassador for the sport of long-distance dog-mushing, will be remembered for the spirit she brought to the race, a determination that helped Iditarod become one of the world's most-followed competitions, and those two braided ponytails that framed a wide, toothy smile.

“She was totally enjoying herself every second of life,” said Willow resident DeeDee Jonrowe, one of Butcher's close friends and a top Iditarod contender. “She was all about the passion of the race, and about the passion of life. She was unadorned by society's norms, and you could always tell that she was just out there, enjoying herself. She had a beautiful smile. People will remember that smile forever.”

Butcher became the sport's most dominant athlete in the late 1980s. She won three consecutive Iditarod titles from 1986 through 1988. She followed that impressive run up with her fourth championship in 1990, prompting T-shirts to be worn everywhere that proclaimed, “Alaska - Where men are men and women win the Iditarod.”

“I most remember her sheer will and determination to win against all odds,” 1984 champion Dean Osmar told The Associated Press. “She went on to become one of the strongest competitors, man or woman. Once she started winning, it seemed almost hard for her to not be winning.”

Sometimes, Butcher's reputation alone could help her win a race.

“I remember the first time I was ever ahead of her in a race, it was the Coldfoot Classic, and I kept looking over my shoulder trying to see her headlamp,” fellow four-time champ Jeff King said. “I turned mine off so she wouldn't know where I was. Well, I ended up missing a turn and ended up miles and miles off of the course. The whole time I thought I was smoking her because I didn't see her. Turns out, she beat me.”

King, from Denali Park, said it was that kind of determination that set Butcher apart.

“She represented a new gender in the sport very well,” King said. “The timing of her dominance did away with some preconceptions. She was for real. She was energetic, hard-working and a great champion.”

Butcher's dedication to her dogs is as legendary as her drive to win. Her lead dog, Granite, was one of the first leaders to become internationally famous.

“People really embraced the sport because of that. Everyone knew who Granite was. It was like back to the Togo and Balto times,” Jonrowe said. “She took dog care to new levels and forced everybody else to as well. If you wanted to beat Susan, your dog care had to be as good or better than Susan's for 12 months a year, every year - and it was hard to do. She showed that dogs can be even better than they were born to be through superior care. She developed friendships with her dogs, and upped the stakes for everyone else.”

Butcher retired from competitive racing in 1994, so she and husband Dave Monson could start a family. She leaves two young daughters - Tekla, 11, and Chisana, 6 - who never knew their mother as a champion of the sport. Jonrowe said the true legacy of her friend can be seen in the bright smiles of Butcher's two daughters.

“I hope people remember, more than anything, that she gave up a premier, top-of-the-game career because she wanted to have children,” Jonrowe said. “Those girls are so special. She said she felt like her fairy tale life wasn't complete until Tekla was born. It speaks a lot about who she was as a person that she gave up that very successful career because she wanted to have the children. Susan always said life was all about being a mom.”

Three years ago, Butcher was diagnosed with polycythermia vera, a rare disease that causes bone marrow to produce too much blood. Last December, she was diagnosed with leukemia. She underwent a stem-cell transplant, but problems arose a short time later. Earlier last weekend, she was moved to the intensive care unit at the University of Washington Medical Center.

Her husband has maintained an online journal throughout his wife's battle with leukemia. Early Sunday morning, he posted an emotional account of Susan's last day.

“We told her we would be OK. That she had made us strong enough to carry on. When she was sure that we were ready, she was gone. Tonight the girls and I took a ferry to Bainbridge Island. It was a peaceful passage from the turmoil of the city to a quiet spot she loved. Tekla wore her mother's necklace and Chisana wore her rings. We sat silently near the shore and looked up. The sky was an explosion of stars. I asked Chisana which one she thought was her mom. She sat on my lap and studied the sky for a long time. Finally she pointed and said, ‘I think that one. But don't worry she is not alone.' Neither are we. She will be guiding us from that star,” he wrote.

Within hours of her passing, the news spread through Alaska. Through her three decades of being involved in dog mushing, she touched the lives of many, and her death rocked both the dog mushing community and countless other race fans.

“It's a sad day, that's for sure,” King said.

Even casual race fans have felt the loss.

“I got the chance to meet her one summer, right when she was winning all the races, and you never would have guessed she was that tough woman out on the trail,” said Joe Brookley, an Iditarod fan who lives part-time in Cantwell. “She was always one of my favorites because of the way she was.”

The Iditarod Trail Committee said Monday that Butcher's family has tentatively scheduled a memorial service and celebration of life over Labor Day weekend in Fairbanks, although the date and time has not been established.

Contact Casey Ressler at

352-2265 or valleylife@

frontiersman.com.