Scott Janssen, 56, the “Mushin Mortician”, was born and raised in Crookston, Minnesota. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1985 with a B.S. in Mortuary Science and moved to Alaska in June of that year to work as a mortician at Evergreen Memorial Chapel. He has been a mortician and funeral home owner for the last 32 years. Scott began mushing in 2007 with Paul Gebhardt. He says, “Iditarod has been my dream since 1986.” He grasped his dream by finishing 42nd in the 2011 Iditarod and 38th in the 2012 Iditarod. He and Debbie, his wife of 37 years, are the parents of two adult daughters, Angela and Chelsea, his godson (who is like a son to him) Jaikob and his grandchildren Avalyn and Liam. 2018 will be his 7th Iditarod. Scott is a member of the National Funeral Directors Association, the ICCFA, Kiwanis, Catholic Archdiocese of Anchorage and the Iditarod Finishers’ Club. He enjoys spending time with his family, mushing dogs, camping, hunting, fishing, skiing and riding Harleys.