A celebration of life will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday,  May 18, at Iditarod Headquarters.  (2100 Knik-Goose Bay Road, Wasilla) Please bring a dish to pass at this pot luck event.

Joe Delia, longtime Iditarod ‘family” member passed away on May 1. 

Joe’s home served as Skwentna Checkpoint since the beginning of the Iditarod. (1973)  During his lifetime, he played many roles with Iditarod including helping to break trail for the early races.  Joe served as official checker at Skwentna, retiring in 1997, the same year he was inducted into the Iditarod Hall of Fame.  He continued ‘unofficially’ as a checker and host to all who visited Skwentna during the race.  He  and his wife, Norma, moved from Skwentna to Anchorage two years ago after Joe was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  Joe visited with his Iditarod family and friends at the 2013 Volunteer Picnic last June and at Iditarod Headquarters during the race. 

Join us at Headquarters in person if you are near our location or by sharing musings, remembrances, and images on our ITC Facebook page or by sending them to djohnson@iditarod.com.  

Cards may be sent to Joe Delia’s family in care of ITC at 2100 S Knik Goose Bay Road, Wasilla, AK. 99654

Rest in Peace, Joe, Rest in Peace.  You are missed and will be remembered.  Our thoughts are with Joe’s wife Norma, their family, and their friends. 

Learn more about Joe at this link. http://iditarod.com/eye-on-the-trail-remembering-joe-delia-an-iditarod-legend/

You can also visit a facebook page created for Joe Delia and leave comments there for the family. Thank you for helping to honor Joe. https://www.facebook.com/skwentnajoe?ref=stream&fref=nf