Helen Ruth Ahrens

July 16, 1921 - June 3, 2006

Helen Ruth Ahrens, 84, died Sunday (June 4, 2006)?at the home of her daughter in McCook.

She was born July 16, 1921, in Beemer, to William and Pauline (Meeske) Malchow.

She grew up on the family farm in rural Beemer. She was confirmed on April 14, 1935, at St. John's Lutheran Church in Beemer. She graduated from Wisner High School in 1939.

On April 27, 1941, she married Willis K. Ahrens at St. John's Lutheran Church in Beemer. She was a farm wife on their farm east of West Point and then north of Oakland. Willis died in 1994. She moved into her current home in Oakland in 1995.

She was active in St. John's LWML and Harvester's for Christ. She belonged to the U Go I Go Extension Club until it disbanded.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Willis; brothers, Marvin, Paul, William and Hugo Malchow; and sisters, Agatha Mathias and Freida Stelling.

Survivors include her daughter: Elizabeth Geisler and husband, Robert, of McCook; sons: William Ahrens and wife, Karen of Oakland, John Ahrens and wife, Mary and Thomas Ahrens, all of West Point, James Ahrens and wife, Peggy of Oakland, Paul Ahrens and special friend Dave Holmquist of Lincoln; sister: Caroline Lipanot and husband, Otto, of Chicago, Ill.; sisters-in-law: Norma Malchow of Wisner and Ethel Ahrens of rural West Point; 18 grandchildren; and 16 great grandchildren.

Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m., Wednesday at St. John's Lutheran Church in rural Lyons with the Rev. Chris Bushre officiating.

Visitation will be today 1 - 8 p.m. with the family receiving friends from 6 - 8 p.m. at Pelan Funeral Services, Oakland and Wednesday at the church one hour prior to the service .

Burial will be in the St. John's Lutheran Cemetery in rural Lyons.

Memorials are suggested to St. John's Lutheran Church in her name.

Pelan Funeral Services of Oakland is in charge of arrangements.