Ed Ahrens of Overland Park, Kansas, formerly of Topeka, Kansas, passed away on March 4, 2015 in the presence of family at St. Luke’s Hospice House. Ed was born on October 13, 1929, in Fort Scott, Kansas, to Charles Henry Ahrens and Helen M. Kingsbury. He graduated from The University of Kansas with honors in political science and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He earned a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan.
On June 11, 1950 he married Sharon Lynn Mumma in University City, Missouri. Sherry passed away in 1999. They had four children, Christopher (Regi) Ahrens, Mission Hills, Kansas, Lesley (Scot) Ruhser, Iowa Park, Texas, John (Teresa) Ahrens, Overland Park, Kansas, and Cameron (Billie) Ahrens, Prairie Village, Kansas, all of whom survive. He is also survived by seven grandchildren, Jennifer Ahrens, Rebecca (David) Bushong, Heather (Charles) Paulson, Jeremy (Denise) Dorzab, Brooke (Darryl) Landers, Monica (Adam) Andreoli and Kevin Ahrens, and six great grandchildren.
At the time of his retirement in 1992, he had been employed 29 years by the State of Kansas. During that time, he served in the Division of the Budget and fiscal staff of the Legislative Research Department. Prior to service with the State of Kansas, he was employed by the State of Michigan and taxpayer supported governmental research organizations in Detroit, Michigan, St. Louis, Missouri, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He was a member of Grace Episcopal Cathedral in Topeka, Kansas, where he served as usher, lectionary and in other volunteer capacities. He was also a member of the Topeka Stamp Club and the American Philatelic Society. In addition to his love of stamp collecting, he was an avid genealogist.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests donations to Grace Episcopal Cathedral, St. Luke’s Hospice House or Wayside Waifs.