John Ahrndt, Jr.

As people remember us, we can only hope that the impression we left on their lives was as positive and as meaningful as the one John Ahrndt, Jr. left on the lives of every person who knew him. He was happy, kind, and generous, and loved spending time outdoors. Loyal and dedicated to his family, he didn't take what he had been blessed with for granted and showed this by doing whatever he could for family and friends. John always saw the best in the people around him, and for that, people saw that the very best in John.

The early 1960s was a period of great change in our nation’s history. Protest movements were at the forefront of discussion as more and more U.S. troops headed to Vietnam. Yet, despite the looming problems, people were still having fun at drive-in theaters and listening to the Beatles who topped the charts. In Kalamazoo, Michigan, John and Joan (Ashbaugh) Ahrndt were focusing on something a little closer to home, the birth of their second child. On October 5, 1960, the couple opened their hearts and home to their healthy baby boy, John Jr.

John, along with his older sister, Colleen, grew up in the Oakwood neighborhood of Kalamazoo, which had once been the site of the Oakwood Amusement Park, built on the south shore of Woods Lake. He attended neighborhoods schools and enjoyed spending his time playing baseball. His father loved the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing and passed this love and appreciation along to John. When he was 15, the family moved to the nearby community of Plainwell, Michigan, where John graduated from Plainwell High School in 1979.

In the fall of 1980, friends introduced John to a beautiful young lady by the name of Barbara Garrow. For both of them, it was love at first sight, and not wanting to lose the treasure they had found, the young couple was married six months later on March 21, 1981 – the first day of spring.

John loved cars, especially his beloved Trans Am, but when his daughter Keara was born in 1982, he gladly traded it in for a more practical vehicle. After all, he now had the responsibility of being a father. John’s life was blessed again when his son Thomas, affectionately known as T.J., was born in 1985. John was overjoyed with this new addition to the family.

A loving father, John could not do enough for his wife and children. He constantly showered them with gifts, as tokens of how much he loved them. With his love of the outdoors and animals, John felt that pets were an important part of a family and made sure that there were plenty of four-legged companions for the kids. The family shared their home with a variety of beloved dogs, cats and even chickens. One Christmas, John even surprised the kids with what every child asks for, but seldom gets – a pony. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his family.

The children weren’t the only ones John surprised with his gift giving. Both John and Barbara loved to play golf. One year, on Barbara’s birthday, as they played a round of Golf at Shagbark Golf Course near Lake Doster, where they were members, he presented her with a present at every hole of the course.

Besides giving them gifts, John loved giving his family the gift of his time. An avid hunter and fisherman since childhood, he had instilled this same love of the outdoors in his own son, T.J.. One of John’s happiest days was when T.J. shot his first deer. Because he enjoyed the outdoors so much, most of the family vacations were camping trips. Besides teaching his children to hunt and fish, John also taught them how to drive a boat. The family spent many happy days out in their boat on Pine Lake, fishing together.

John had a wonderful personality and was very outgoing. He and Barbara had a large circle of friends who spent a lot of time together, enjoying each other’s company. And everyone knew, if any of them needed a helping hand, John would always be there, no questions asked. John was the best kind of friend.

John had worked for several years at a local paper mill and when it closed, he went to work for a local exterminator. With his dedication and determination he soon opened his own business, Lakeside Exterminating.

John liked to keep busy, whether working, helping friends, or spending time with his family. He loved to tinker and seldom sat still – at least not for very long. When he and Barbara moved to Florida in 2003, it seemed fitting that he found work being outdoors, which he loved so much.

Described as a “little man with a big heart”, John was a big man to all who knew and loved him. A man who loved his family and the great outdoors, he will be lovingly remembered and greatly missed by all.

John Ahrndt Jr., age 47, of Tarpon Springs FL, formerly of Plainwell died on Sunday, July 27, 2008. Members of his family include his wife Barbara, his daughter Keara and her husband Daniel McIntyre ,his son Thomas Ahrndt, his father John Ahrndt, Sr., his sister, Colleen Gregersen, and his nieces and nephews including great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his mother Joan Ahrndt. A Life Story Service to celebrate John’s life will be held at the Pine Lake Diner, 938 Doster Road at 3pm, Saturday August 2, 2008. Learn more about John by visiting his memory page at www.todaycenter.com where you can archive a favorite memory or photo, sign his memory book or make a memorial donation to the family. Memorial donations may be sent to Barbara Ahrndt, 92 So. Highland Ave., Tarpon Springs, FL 34689.