Another Quiet Birdman has flown west into the sunset.
James (Jim) Arthur Ahrens, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret.), passed away at his home on August 7, 2024, at age 82. Jim was born to Clyde W. Ahrens and Kathryn Wagoner Ahrens on March 31, 1942. He grew up on the family farm in the Franklin Community north of Nampa. He loved to ride on the tractor with his dad. The only problem was it made him sleepy, so his dad would take him off the tractor and lay him at the end of the field. He’d continue working until Jim woke up, then he’d start the whole thing over again.
Jim attended Franklin grade school where, for a couple of years, his mom was his teacher. Franklin Community Church (the little white church on the highway) played a very important role in his growing up years and remained a soft spot in his heart. Jim attended Nampa High School, played the saxophone in the band and was drum major his senior year. He then attended the College of Idaho for two years before the urge to fly got to be too much. He was probably influenced by his older brother David, older sister Lynn, and his Uncle Perry, all of whom were pilots.
Jim attended USAF pilot training through the Idaho Air National Guard. He graduated in 1964 and returned to Boise to fly the F-102, the T-33, and later the F-4 Phantom. He also attended Boise State College, graduating in 1969. Since the Guard was part time, he started teaching at Links School of Business, teaching accounting, business, and computers. He led two very different lives during those years, one of the rather stoic academic environment, the other in the raucous life of a fighter squadron. Guess which one he enjoyed more?
Jim met Virginia (Gina) Stone of Portland, Oregon on a blind date and married her on August 10, 1968. There are rumors that while they were dating, it was not unusual to see an Idaho bird parked on the Oregon Air Guard ramp on weekends. To this union two daughters were born: Andrea (Andi) and Melanie.
Jim retired from the Idaho Air Guard in 1990 with 3300 hours of flight time in the T-33, F- 102, and F-4 Phantom. He taught at Links School of Business (which became ITT Technical Institute) 1975-2002. Jim and Gina traveled extensively during their retirement with several cruises and trips to Europe, the Oregon Coast, and the family cabin in Centerville, Idaho. Jim also loved to hunt chukars around Brownlee Reservoir back when the group had good knees and stronger lungs. He was most famous for getting surprised by a rattlesnake and getting off four shots from a pump shotgun on the way up. Jim was a long time member of the Kiwanis and the Quiet Birdmen.
Jim is survived by Gina, his wife of 56 years; daughter Andi (Chris) Cocozzo; daughter Melanie Ahrens; granddaughters Courtney (TJ) Zabriskie, Victoria Ahrens, Kayla Cocozzo, Teah Cocozzo; great-granddaughter Luna Zabriskie; brother David (Sandra) Ahrens, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Lynn Ahrens, sister-in-law Sue Stone, and his in-laws Bob and Betty Stone.
The family would like to thank the Bright Star caregivers, especially Megan and Caleb, and St. Luke’s Hospice caregivers Jamie, Lauren, and Craig.
A committal service with military honors will be held at 1:00 pm, Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, 10100 N. Horseshoe Bend Rd. in Boise. Please arrive 10-15 minutes before the service is scheduled to begin and follow directional signs to the guest assembly area near the electronic sign just inside the cemetery gates. A memorial reception will follow at the BanBury Golf Club, 2626 S. Marypost Pl. in Eagle, at 2:00 pm.
Instead of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church for the food bank, 2206 N. Cole Rd, Boise, ID 83704 or The Idaho Food Bank, 3630 E. Commercial Court, Meridian, ID 83642.
Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.