Joe Redington, Sr.

1917 - 1999  (82 years)

• Name	Joe Redington
  Suffix	Sr.
  Born	1 Feb 1917	, , Oklahoma
  Gender	Male
  Died	24 Jun 1999	, , Alaska
  Person ID	I62694	Whipple Descendants
  Last Modified	18 Nov 2009

  
  

  Father	James Wesley Redington,   b. 23 Mar 1885, , , Kansas ,   d. Dec 1963, , , Alaska  (Age 78 years)
  Mother	Mary Elizabeth Smith,   b. 6 Mar 1886, Anthony, Sumner, Kansas ,   d. 3 Jun 1969, Afton, Ottawa, Oklahoma  (Age 83 years)
  Married	Between 1915 and 1916
  Family ID	F24573	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 1	Kathy Broadhead
  Children	+ 1. Shiela Redington + 2. Joe Redington, Jr. + 3. Raymie Redington
  Last Modified	20 Feb 2021
  Family ID	F28002	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family 2	Violet Elizabeth Hoffman
  Children	1. Keith Redington
  Last Modified	20 Feb 2021
  Family ID	F28003	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 1 Feb 1917 - , , Oklahoma Died - 24 Jun 1999 - , , Alaska  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  !SOURCE: "Descendants of Ruby Sophronia Whipple," email from Christine Turpin to Weldon Whipple, 11 May 2002. !HONORS: "His most memorable accomplishment was the conception an development in 1973 of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race from Anchorage to Nome. "As was his habit, he ignored those who said it couldn't be done, and with a little assistance from dubious friends, he made it happen, earning him the title, 'Father of the Iditarod.' The first years were fun, with lots of camping and camaradirie. Later the competition became more fierce, but Redington distinguised himself time after time, finishing in the top five as late as 1988 at the age of 71. "Along the way he encouraged many foreign mushers and is greatly responsible for the growth of long distance dog mushing from Europe to South Africa. "In celebration of the bicentennial in 1976, he organized the largest dog team which pulled a tour bus filled with passengers, up Knik Road. The bus driver panicked only slightly when, with full brake pressure applied, couldn't stop the bus. "When people said that mushing a dog team to the top of Mt. McKinley couldn't be done, Redington took a personal challenge, and in 1979, at the age of 62, he and his team reached the summit. Dreaming of introducing more people to the thrill of running dogs to Nome, he guided his first group of 'Iditarod Challengers,' dog mushing tourists, from Knik to Nome in 1993. "The Commemorative Serum Relay Race to Nome in 1995 was his next venture, a rousing success which began a highly successful immunization program for village children. "Throughout his life, Redington subscribed to the philosophy of 'Anything the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.' The thousands who have met and to come to love and respect him will remember him for the stories, the wit and his ability to make dreams come true." --Violet Redington, quoted by C. Turpin