Keith Dewayne Ahrens, 69

Published 10:26 am Thursday, July 18, 2013

Memorial Mass for Keith Ahrens will be held 10 a.m. Saturday, July 20, 2013, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in LeRoy, Minn. with Father Marreddy Pothireddy officiating. Burial will be at St. Patrick’s Cemetery. Visitation will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, July 19, 2013, at the Hindt Funeral Home in LeRoy, Minn. and one hour prior to the service at church.

Keith Dewayne Ahrens, 69, was born Oct. 26, 1943, in Cherokee, Iowa to Ruth (Puhrmann) and Frank Ahrens. Keith died as the result of an auto accident on July 16, 2013, near Lime Springs, Iowa.

Keith grew up on area farms in northwest Iowa and attended elementary school there. In 1951, Kieth and his family moved to a farm near Ostrander, Minn. He attended country school through the sixth grade, entered seventh grade at LeRoy-Ostrander High School, and graduated in 1961. Keith received his auto mechanic training at Austin Area Vocational School. He worked as an auto mechanic in Ostrander and for Regan Motor Sales in LeRoy, Minn. He operated the 66 station and DX stations in LeRoy before entering into partnership with Tom Hovde at the LeRoy Auto Clinic. Keith retired in 2008. After retiring, Keith continued to enjoy hunting, fishing, truck and tractor pulls, and car shows.

He spent many happy hours on “the farm” and working on old tractors. Keith had a large gun collection and was a reloader and amateur gunsmith. His greatest enjoyment was spending time with family members and giving the grandgirls tractor rides.

Keith and Dianne (Daily) were married Sept. 5, 1966 and resided in LeRoy, Minn. for 46 years.

Keith is survived by his spouse, Dianne, daughters and sons-in-law, Kathlene and Tim Domaille of Rochester, Minn. and Kristine and Terry Tucke of LeRoy, Minn., and granddaughters Brittany and Brianna Tucke. Other survivors include a sister and brother-inlaw, Karen and Jerry Knudson-Ibberson of Ellendale, Minn., a brother and sister-in-law, Donald and Diane Daily of Austin, Minn., and nieces, nephews, grand nieces, and grand nephews.

He was preceded in death by his father Frank Arhens (1971), mother Ruth (2006), stepfather Emmet Berhow (2004), nephew Robby Knudson (1986), and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Condolences may be left online at www.hindtfuneralhomes.com.