Lew Ahrens, 71

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Published on Monday, 25 February 2013 10:11

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Lew Ahrens of Paynesville died Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013, at his home. He was 71.

Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Feb. 25, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Eden Valley with Rev. Bryan Hopfensperger officiating. Friends called between 3 and 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, and after 9:30 a.m. Monday, at the church.

Lew W. Ahrens was born Feb. 28, 1941, in Windom to Raymond and Myrtle (Roesner) Ahrens. His family moved to Paynesville in 1955, and he graduated from Paynesville High School in 1959. Lew served in the U.S. Army from 1961-1967. He married Donna Lee Hemmesch Sept. 19, 1964, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Eden Valley. Lew and his wife took over the Ahrens family farm in 1964, where he was a dairy and crop farmer. Lew was a member of the Paynesville American Legion Post 271, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Eden Valley.

Lew enjoyed farming until his retirement in 2003. He loved watching high school sports, in particular his son and daughter, nieces and nephews. He was a volunteer driver at the Rose Center and Meals on Wheels, and was a devoted caregiver for his mother with whom he spent every Wednesday. Lew loved watching amateur baseball and went traveling around the State of Minnesota and went on many bus tours. He loved to fish and had a great sense of humor. People will remember his laugh.

Lew was preceded in death by his father Raymond April 8, 1964, and brother-in-law Robert Wendlandt Dec. 2, 2012.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Donna; two children Thomas Ahrens of Paynesville, and Terese Ahrens (and Brian Mattson) of Minneapolis; grandson Nicholas; his mother Myrtle of Paynesville; brother Roger Ahrens of Paynesville; sisters Jerrine (and Jim) Posey of Paynesville, Sheryl Schmiginsky of Paynesville, Rhonda Wendlandt of Paynesville; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials are preferred to American Cancer Society, Caring Bridge, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Bulldog Booster Club, Rose Center, Lake Region Home Health, or Rice Hospice. Funeral arrangements were made with the Daniel-Anderson Funeral Home in Paynesville.