After a long and determined fight against lung cancer, John Ahern died in Hailey, Idaho, on Oct. 11, 2009. His family and friends were at his side throughout this journey.
John was a quiet and thoughtful soul who lived his life with an open heart. He was always up for a philosophical discourse and his mind was a rare commodity. This openness allowed him to be receptive to many different cultures, and he lived in Spain, Ireland, Mexico and America. He spoke both English and Spanish fluently, but also his soul spoke with sincere clarity and he was an avid reader of spiritual works—Buddhism, Emerson, Church of Religious Science and many other great thinkers.
John Ahern was born in Abbeyfeale, Ireland, on Sept. 9, 1938, to John and Eileen Ahern. He was the oldest of 10 children. At 17, John left Ireland and worked in England before making his way to the United States. In Chicago, John joined the Air Force and served several tours of duty in Vietnam. He spoke very little of those days.
He returned to America, married and had three sons—John, Michael and Liam Ahern. He worked in California for AT&T, and then for Solano County as a budget analyst, and was county administrator. Having taken an early retirement, John moved to Idaho where he married Andrea Rule. John loved hiking, gardening, landscaping, reading, fly fishing, cycling and advancing his spiritual life. His Irish charm was inescapable and he had wonderful friends. His sincere humor, thoughtfulness and warmth touched many.
John is survived by his wife, Andrea Rule; his three sons, Michael, John and Liana Ahern, and their wives, Anne and Kathy; and John's grandchildren, Adriel, Hanna, Erin, Riley Jo and Sean. His brothers and sisters in Ireland, Chicago and England are Billy, Patrick, Jimmy, Gerald, Danny, and sisters Philamena, Mary Theresa Taylor and Elma Toland. All deeply mourn John's passing.
A memorial service was held in Boise, Idaho, on Nov. 2, the Day of the Dead. On Saturday, Nov. 14, at 6 p.m there will be a wake at John Moreland and Marty Bacher's home, 106 Elderberry Lane, Bellevue. An additional wake is planned for summer 2010.
In lieu of flowers, please make any donations to the lung cancer research department at St. Luke's Mountain States Tumor Institute, 100 E. Idaho St., Boise, ID 83712.
