Dr. Richard A Ahrens

Born September 18,1936 in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, he was the eldest son of the late Richard William Ahrens and Gladys Bierman Ahrens. He grew up on a farm and attended a one room schoolhouse until High School. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, earning a Bachelor of Science in dairy husbandry in 1958, and then earned a Doctor of Philosophy in nutrition from the University of California Davis in 1963. While attending UC-Davis Richard met Joan Morley and they married on August 19, 1961. They moved to Maryland where he worked as a research physiologist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Beltsville, MD, from 1963-1966, and then as an associate professor at the University of Maryland (UMD), College Park, until 1975 and then as a university professor of nutrition from 1975-1999. He was appointed professor emeritus in 1999 and served as the assistant dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Maryland, from 2000 to 2001.

Richard and Joan had three children and raised them in the town of Berwyn Heights, MD, where they lived for almost 60 years. He believed strongly in the importance of one’s civic duties and responsibilities, always taking active and leadership roles wherever he was asked or felt needed in the town of Berwyn Heights, School PTAs, UMD organizations, and Hope Lutheran Church. He enjoyed watching football and baseball, cheering for his Packers, Brewers and Nationals. He also enjoyed supporting the sports and arts at the UMD and spending time with family and friends eating German food, blue crabs, beer, dancing (especially to polka music), singing, telling stories and laughing. He was an avid traveler to new places near and far (Kenya, UK, Germany, Jerusalem, Australia, China, Amazonia…) and had a great appreciation of this world, its people and cultures.

He is survived by his beloved wife Joan, and siblings Donald Ahrens, LaVerne Brandt, and children Deborah Johnson, Jill Fronck (Destry), and David Ahrens (Hyun Kim), grandchildren Angela Johnson, Robert Johnson (Christina), Randall Johnson (Sara), Richard Johnson, Sydney Fronck, R. Dean Fronck, Noah Ahrens, Sophie Ahrens, and great-grandchildren Reece, Riley and Elaine.