Lansdale Man, Renown Educator And World War II Vet, Passes Away At 91

Obituary and image courtesy Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home - Lansdale.

Herman C. Ahrens of Lansdale Herman C. Ahrens, Jr., 91, editor, educator and church lay leader of Lansdale died February 24, 2016. Herman was married to his beloved Carol Lorene (Kellermeyer) Ahrens for 65 years.

He was born June 12, 1924 in Port Washington, Ohio, son of the late Rev. Herman C. and Ella (Fark) Ahrens. His education included Harding High School, 1942, Marion, Ohio; BA Degree from Heidelberg College, (now University), 1949, Tiffin, Ohio; Bachelor of Journalism, University of Missouri, 1950, Columbia, MO, with honors.

In 1975 Mr. Ahrens received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Heidelberg University.

During WWII, Mr. Ahrens saw action in Europe with the 84th “Railsplitters” Infantry Division, in the Siegfried Line, Battle of the Bulge, crossing the Rhine River, across northern Germany to the Elbe River, where his unit met the Russians, in peace. He received the Purple Heart.

In 1950, Mr. Ahrens was called to be editor of YOUTH Magazine, a national monthly publication for teenagers, published by the United Church of Christ.

During his 31 years as editor the magazine received 20 professional awards for excellence, had a circulation of over 50,000 subscriptions in the USA and Canada to 10 Protestant Denominations and was recommended to Catholic youth through the Franciscans. YOUTH was truly an ecumenical project.

Dr. Ahrens was also briefly on the staff of Christian History Magazine and then served eight years as Commissioned Minister of Communication for the Pennsylvania Southeast Conference of the UCC in Collegeville, PA. He retired in 1992. Dr. Ahrens was the author of three books, two educational booklets and many articles about young people in other denominational publications. At the 50th Anniversary of the denomination, Dr. Ahrens was honored as one of the 50 persons who contributed greatly to the shaping of the United Church of Christ.

Locally, he was very active in the life of St. John’s UCC, Lansdale for over 65 years as a teacher, youth group leader and active participant in worship and life together. In addition to his wife, Herman is survived by children, Deborah Kay Ahrens, of Philadelphia, Paul Conrad Ahrens and his wife Anne Huntley Ahrens of Los Angeles, CA, and the Rev. Dr. Timothy Carl Ahrens and his wife Susan Sitler of Columbus, Ohio; six grandchildren, Luke (Kirsten), Daniel, Josephine, Roberta, Sarah, and Thalia Lewis, and one great-grandson, Benton. He is also survived by his sister Ruth Ahrens Klingler and her husband Edison of Kenton, Ohio.

He is preceded in death by his brothers Earl and Ralph and sisters-in-law, Madonna and Marilyn. Relatives and friends may call after 2:00pm, March 12, 2016 at St. John’s UCC, 500 West Main St., Lansdale, PA 19446 followed by a Memorial Service at 3:00pm and a reception to follow at the church. Interment will be private in East Avenue Cemetery, New Philadelphia, OH. Arrangements are by Huff and Lakjer Funeral Home, Lansdale.

In lieu of flowers the family requests contributions be made in Herman’s memory to St. John’s UCC Music Fund, address above.