Janette Ahrens

Ahrens was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota on December 10, 1925.^[3] She attended the University of Minnesota during the 1940s.^[1] Ahrens competed as both a single and pair skater, first with partner Robert Uppgren and later with Arthur Preusch. She also competed in fours with Uppgren, Mary Louise Premer, and Lyman Wakefield Jr. and won the 1941 North American title. They were called the "St. Louis Four" and were the first team in history that defeated Canada.^[4] After becoming a professional skater, she taught skating.^[5]

Ahrens married Norman Simmons DeCoster in 1947;^[6] they divorced and she married Allen Buckbee in December 1985.^[7] During the 1970s, Ahrens lived in Minneapolis, Minnesota,^[8] but later resided in White Bear Lake.^[9] She died in Mahtomedi, Minnesota on April 24, 2016, at the age of 90.^[9][3]