Kevin John Ahrens

Kevin John Ahrens, 57, passed peacefully from this life on April 27, 2022, surrounded by all his loved ones after a sudden illness. Kevin was always happy and had a big heart, he was always concerned about everyone he knew. A man of extraordinary love, generosity, and devotion to family. Even in death, he continued to give as many of his organs were given to those who needed them most.  He would have wanted to give them to all who were in need.

Kevin was born on June 16, 1964. As his dad described it, he was needed in the fields that day, but Kevin had other plans to get his dad out of the fields. He came quickly into this life just as fast as he left it. 

Kevin was born in Jerome, Idaho where he loved to help on the family farm. He was the baby out of the four siblings born to Harley Edward Ahrens and Esther Lorraine Miller. He grew up helping on the family farm which he always missed. He loved the spring and summer months where he could get out and dig in the dirt. Kevin loved gardening and anything outdoors. He currently has a garden growing all over the kitchen waiting to be planted.

Kevin was a runner in high school and participated in cross country. He graduated from Jerome High School in 1982. He later moved to Pocatello, Idaho to work in restaurant management. He decided that working all the hours that were required for management took away from his time to be with his family. He later went back to school and graduated as a diesel mechanic from Idaho State University in 2002. He was currently employed with Diesel Depot in Aberdeen.  His colleagues were also his friends, as he forged many friendships there that he will truly miss.

Kevin met the love of his life (at least his wife likes to think so) on a blind date in February 1990. They were married on January 11, 1991. Kevin and Shirley were later sealed for time and all eternity on June 7, 2003, in the Logan Temple. They had 31 wonderful years together and shared 4 children. Courtney (Richard) Reynolds, Braydon (Mabel) Ahrens, Taylor Ahrens, and Jordyn Ahrens. Each one came to them at different times in their lives when we needed them the most. They were the light of his life. He lived for his children, and they lived for him. They always had a story and event to share. They were always planning the next big camping trip. He loved to help with the cooking and made a big production of planning every meal. His family will miss his weekend breakfasts, his Dutch oven potatoes, fried chicken, and his purple refried beans. He was the happiest of campers. Kevin could roast the most perfect golden-brown marshmallows while the kids would impatiently wait. He spent many hours puttering around in the garage or the yard working on projects or fixing things. He loved jigsaw puzzles and board games and was often a very sore loser and showed no mercy. He loved hunting, but thankfully his shooting skills did not return any animals to be taken care of, which was a blessing to his wife. 

Kevin’s surviving immediate family is his dad Harley, his siblings Ed (Roy) Ahrens, Pam Ahrens, and Doug (Karen) Ahrens, his children, and his amazing wife.

He is preceded in death by his mom Esther Lorraine Miller. 

Although we grieve, the completion of Kevin’s earthly life reminds us all: “Those we love never truly leave us. There are things that death cannot touch.”

A viewing will be held on Thursday evening, May 5, 2022, from 6-8 p.m. at Wilks Funeral Home in Chubbuck, as well as at the church just prior to the service from 1-1:45 p.m. A funeral service will be held in his honor on May 6, 2022, at 2 p.m. at the Chubbuck 10th Ward building, 4773 Independence Avenue, Chubbuck, Idaho.   Interment will follow at Mountainview Cemetery in Pocatello, Idaho. 

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