Maxine Marie Ahrens

March 6, 1924 - March 14, 2010

Maxine Marie Ahrens, 86, of Hampton, Iowa, formerly of Dows and Latimer, Iowa, passed away March 14, 2010, at the Franklin General Hospital in Hampton, Iowa. She was born on March 6, 1924, in Mason City, Iowa, to Edward and Hilda (Bertilson) Shaffer. Maxine was the last baby baptized at the Otis Grove Lutheran Church on May 18, 1924. She graduated from Dows High School in 1941 and later attended Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls, Iowa. Maxine was united in marriage to Donald Charles Ahrens on August 27, 1946, in Pensacola, Florida. Their marriage was blessed with five children and she enjoyed being a homemaker and mother. Maxine was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Hampton, the LWML, the Latimer Park Society and the Kensington Club. She was also a 4-H leader, a Hospice volunteer, an elementary school reading tutor and she served on the Franklin General Hospital Review Board. She is survived by her husband Donald Ahrens of Hampton, four sons: Bill of Willard, Missouri; Bart (Pam) of St. Paul, Minnesota; Boyd (Louise) of Kansas City, Missouri; Bruce (Lois) of Iowa City; one daughter Luanne (Charles) Beddingfield of Charleston, South Carolina; brother Milo (Milda) Shaffer of Kansas City, Missouri; six grandchildren Amani, Rob, Clint, Matt, Michael and Marcus; two great grandchildren Elliott & Cael. Maxine is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers J.M. "Bus", Willard & Morris and two sisters Doris & Marie. Maxine will long be remembered as a good and faithful wife, mother, grandmother and friend.