About Mary Lou Frahm...
I learned to snowmobile in Wisconsin going down the scenic trails
of the Kettle Moraine area as a kid. I have fond memories of trying
to keep up with my dad and how mad he would be if I held him up
by getting my snowmobile stuck. I also remember the legislature
passing a law that you had to be 16 years old to drive a snowmobile.
Well, I had already been snowmobiling for several years and was
not going to be sixteen soon.
After high school, I attended Marquette University to study engineering
and play volleyball. When my family moved to Arizona, I transferred
to Arizona State University. In the end, I received three degrees,
two from Arizona State and one from Leeward Community College in
Hawaii in Biology, Nursing and Drafting.
I have worked as a draftsman, Registered Nurse in Intensive Care
and a substitute teacher for the Anchorage School District. My greatest
achievement although is raising my two sons. I could not be prouder
of them. My oldest is 23 and following in his father’s foot
steps as a pilot. He flies a Beech 1900 for Great Lakes Aviation
in Denver. My youngest is 21 and studying Physics Engineering at
Colorado School of Mines.
I have always loved dogs. They have been my companions when I couldn’t
find some one to go camping and backpacking with me, for example.
I have rarely been without a dog companion.
I met Nina Davidson in Eagle River when my dog wandered over to
her. We began talking and I was excited to meet someone who had
a mushing kennel. I soon became involved with mushing, helping train
and going out on numerous adventures with Nina. I learned a lot
and slowly became more confident in being able to handle a team
of dogs. Just as the Davidsons moved to Willow, I met Kurt Jokela
on the trail. He offered to let me train with their dogs which I
happily accepted. Eventually, my husband and I also moved to Willow.
I have been running my own small team since then and have always
been happy to help with my friend’s teams.
My husband is a retired Air Force F-15 pilot who now flies for Alaska
Airlines. We have lived in Arizona, Washington, Nevada, Hawaii and
of course Alaska. I first heard about the Iditarod when the Air
Force moved us to Anchorage in 1990. I was fortunate to meet Norman
Vaughn at a banquet after Nina did the Serum Run. I have though
about participating in the Serum Run for years and when Val Jokela
asked me to accompany her, I knew now was the time.
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