Jean Miriam Ahrens was born at home, on the 6th of Brant, on Wednesday, December 28, 1932. She was the eldest daughter of Clarence and Kananda (Kaufman) Ahrens. The Ahrens family mixed farmed and soon relocated to the Ahrens homestead on the 10th. Jean soon welcomed younger siblings Dorothy (1936) and Walter (1939). The Ahrens children attended school down the road in Malcolm before enrolling in high school in Hanover. Jean was not much for school and was proud (seriously) that she lasted about a month in grade 9 before deciding to just stay home and farm every day. She was living proof that intelligence does not always come from studying and books.
Farming was a passion of Jean’s from a young age. She loved all aspects of life on the farm. As a young girl, Jean helped care for the pigs, cattle, and chickens and even helped separate cream. There was a task or chore for every time of year and season. Sadly, Clarence died in the early 1970’s and Jean and Walter quickly took up the slack. In addition to their home farm, they owned additional acreage on the 25th Sideroad and rented the Kaufman farm. To say there was always something to do would be an understatement. In the late 70’s Jean bought her first registered Hereford bull calf. Jean loved working with the cattle and knew the lineage of every cow in their barn. In time, she grew her herd to 50 strong. When not working with the cattle at home, she was involved with the Hereford Association, eventually earning her 25-year pin. Jean was not just drawn to large animals, she loved her (barn) cats just the same. They often eventually made their way into the house. She also loved Border Collies and owned several Sports (yes, all her dogs had the same name) through the years. Jean also enjoyed tractor work and was never limited in her abilities. She operated all the Ford and New Holland machinery and never let anything (and I mean anything) get in her way. To prove this, a story was told of an instance when Jean was out baling and got too close to the PTO shaft, losing her shirt. This would normally be a bit of a setback, but not for Jean, as she continued with her task at hand until the job was done.
Although Jean always kept busy on the farm, at times she did let her hair down a bit. She enjoyed attending community dances with Dorothy and Ian and loved taking in live music. As a child, Grant recalled Aunt Jean taking him to lacrosse matches and even wrestling matches (yes, you read that right!) as a kid. Joanne remembers attending the Elmwood Community Fair with Jean to enjoy some fun time together. For a time in her life, Jean also enjoyed elaborate paint by numbers, often displaying them throughout her home. Jean loved to bake pies with apples and strawberries she had picked.
Jean loved to decorate, her house and others, often working with her Aunt Nellie to wallpaper. Refinishing furniture as well as refinishing much of the woodwork within her home was another enjoyable pastime for Jean. When it came to family gatherings, they were always held at the farm. Countless memories and stories were created and told at these family functions. She loved hosting and was always welcoming to those coming into her home. No dinner was complete without meat AND potatoes. On occasion, she would rough it and enjoy her own homemade chili.
Every fall meant a trip north to see the fall colours. Originally, this trip started with her mother and her aunts, then included both them and Jean and Dorothy. When Grant and Joanne were young, they were also taken along on the trips. Eventually, the two sisters enjoyed the trip alone, allowing them to catch up and explore different areas of northern Ontario. To be honest, Jean and Dorothy were more than sisters; they were best friends and Jean enjoyed similar, close relationships with many of her cousins. Jean was also honoured to be godmother to her niece Joanne. She was also very close with her parents. In fact, during her mother’s declining years in the late 1980’s Jean drove daily to the Hanover Hospital to feed her mother supper. Honestly, she never missed a day! What a strong showing of love and support by a daughter. As you can see, family was everything to Jean. She did anything she could to support all of them, including standing up as Grant’s “best ma’am” with him at his wedding. Truly, she was a special woman, aunt, and great-aunt. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Jean enjoyed hosting family at the farm, preparing great holiday meals and helping organize family reunions.
Jean was a loving, generous woman who enjoyed a good sense of humour and loved joking with others. She was outgoing and sociable in her element. Work always came first and she was fiercely independent. Jean lived by the motto, “work hard, be proud of what you do, and enjoy(or love) what you do,” and that she did. She controlled her life and never did things she didn’t want to do, period! She knew her own mind and like most of us, didn’t like change.
In recent years, Jean’s health and age caught up with her. She was diagnosed with Parkinson’s and battled through this diagnosis. Life on the farm changed drastically as they reduced their livestock and began renting out their land. In 2016, she moved to Hanover and called McVean Lodge home. Here, she, Walter, and eventually Dorothy, reunited and enjoyed spending time together. With their health declining Jean and Walter sold the farms in 2019. She lived out her remaining years surrounded by family and close friends. Jean died on Wednesday, September 29, 2021 in her 89th year.
Loving sister of Walter Ahrens of Hanover. Beloved aunt of Joanne Ashley of Iqaluit and Grant Robertson and his wife Sarah Slater of Walkerton. Jean will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by her great-nieces and nephews, Rachel, Kara, Liam, Brandon, Moira, and Olivia as well as the entire Ahrens and Kaufman families. She was predeceased by her sister Dorothy (Ian) Robertson and her parents Clarence and Kananda (Kaufman) Ahrens.
A public visitation will be held at Rhody Family Funeral Home, Chesley on Monday, October 4, 2021 from 1 p.m. until the time of the funeral service at 2 p.m. All are welcome! If preferred, a livestream of the service will also be available on the funeral home website through Zoom beginning at 2 p.m. Interment in St. John’s Lutheran Cemetery, Elmwood.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to Parkinson Society Southwestern Ontario or St. John’s Lutheran Church would be appreciated as expressions of sympathy.
