Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ

Subject: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 03:09 PM

(Please move this down below, Oh, Clonish Ones.)

Susan Butcher had an extraordinary career in Alaska; her death may not mean much south of here. For us, however, it is a sad day.

Susan was the first, and so far only, woman who with her dog team won the Anchorage to Nome Iditarod race four times. Beyond that, she became a good role model and an excellent banner carrier.

RIP, Susan. You fought the good fight.

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 03:20 PM

Oh! So sad. The year I graduated from college and before I came to Arizona I fulfilled a dream by spending some time in Alaska, to the beginning of winter in Fairbanks (where my first and only taste of dogsledding is a treasured memory) and summer in the Arctic Refuge. Soon afterward, from the Arizona desert I followed her story closely after that first win and in the next few years.

Her web site has the text of the obituary from today's Anchorage Daily News: here.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Ernest
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 03:26 PM

So the world lost another extraordinary person with a story to tell... RIP, Susan.

How about writing a song in her honour (and keep this thread up the line)?

Best wishes
Ernest

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Ebbie
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 03:57 PM

Great idea, Ernest. I would guess that there will be a number of songs written about her, even if it should happen that the songs have only regional circulation.

Incidentally she was 51 years old.

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 04:46 PM

Yes....very very sad......can't help but wonder what will happen to her dogs......

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Maryrrf
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 04:53 PM

Oh no. I remember being so proud when she won the Iditarod. What a strong willed woman!

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 04:57 PM

Sorcha, this is from her site, which I linked above:

"So many of you have offered homes and help with the dogs- both temporary and permanent-THANK YOU. The dogs thank you too. The dog mushing community should be proud- what a great group of people! We already knew this but you have proved it yet again. All of the dogs are doing great. We have placed a few with friends and the rest are staying here at home in Fairbanks with our terrific live in handler. Their training schedule is right on track and they are all doing well so we are all set for dog placement for now. We will be posting more info on the dogs on this site in the future."

There was the advantage, such as it is, of some time to make some plans for the dogs, I suppose.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Sorcha
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 05:51 PM

Good, because often 'hard' working dogs don't switch owner loyalty well.

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: gnu
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 06:15 PM

And only 51. RIP.

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 06:35 PM

Dammit...I followed her Iditarod runs and wins...I have often thought she was the inspiration for part of what made up Kate Shugak, the main character of Dana Stabenow's mystery series...lone woman musher out in the boonies.

RIP, Susan, and thanks for being such a pioneer.

kat

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Rapparee
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 08:59 PM

I bought a "Alaska: Where men are men and women win the Ididarod" tee shirt in 1998. Then I went up again and bought another, only it now read "...again and again and again" at the Susan Butcher shop outside Fairbanks. I also saw her dog yard.

RIP...a wonderful person.

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: emjay
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 09:17 PM

And Susan's husband, Dave Monsen, is a musher also, and her two young daughters may have something to do with the dogs as well. Susan has not been well for some time, so the dogs are already familiar with the handler who has been with them.
A lot of people cared about her and her family.
Links to a website about Susan Butcher as well as articles about her may be found at ktuu.com or adn.com -- local tv station and newspaper.
mj

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Metchosin
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 09:32 PM

Oh dear, so sad....she was one of my heroes......hits very close to home, this does.

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: GUEST,number 6
Date: 06 Aug 06 - 09:36 PM

Sad news indeed ... quite a human being.

May she find peace.

sIx

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: skipy
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 07:43 PM

Unashamed refresh for those who have not had a chance to read this ladie's story.
Skipy

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Sorcha
Date: 07 Aug 06 - 11:01 PM

If I'm not mistaken, I think it was breast cancer, again.....

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Desert Dancer
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 01:09 AM

She had been waging a battle against leukemia for a year and a half... -- Anchorage Daily News, on www.susanbutcher.com, linked above.

~ Becky in Tucson

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: catspaw49
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 01:22 AM

Leukemia Sorcha.

I too was saddened to learn of her death as she had fought hard and was a real inspiration all through her life including the very end. No sports junkie could have claimed to be one without knowing of the Iditarod and Susan Butcher.

The need for bone marrow transplants grows everyday. Only through volunteer testing will the supply meet the demand. In a different racing, Rick Hendrick, NASCAR team owner of the cars of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Brian Vickers, established a Donor Program
to aid in many different ways. Lots of linked info on that site.

Getting involved in Susan's name will keep some additional memories alive.

Spaw

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Big Mick
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 09:57 AM

God be good to this wonderful role model. I will be sitting down with my 14 year old daughter to go over her website and talk of her life.

Mick

Subject: RE: Obit: Susan Butcher, Iditarod Champ
From: Sorcha
Date: 08 Aug 06 - 10:43 AM

I stand corrected....but at least I got half of it right....cancer.