Fern "Fernie" Ahrens

Fern B. “Fernie” Ahrens, age 89 of Sauk Centre, died peacefully on Sunday, September 6, 2020 at the CentraCare Nursing Home in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, September 11 at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre with Rev. Greg Paffel officiating. Interment will be in the parish cemetery.

Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Patton-Schad Funeral Home in Sauk Centre.  There will be no public visitation prior to the Mass.

Fern Bernice Engel was born April 11, 1931 in Tolna, North Dakota to William and Ogla (Skoglie) Engel. Fernie moved to Sauk Centre from North Dakota when she was eight years old and went to school through the 10th grade.  She worked on the farm with her brothers and sisters so her father could work in the stockyard. On April 22, 1949 she was united in marriage to John Ahrens at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre.  Fernie had five children who she raised while working at the Palmer House and Fingerhut where she was a floor supervisor.

She was a member of St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Sauk Centre and the Little Sauk American Legion Auxiliary. Fernie enjoyed baking, cooking, gardening, and always had lots of flowers and plants.  She also enjoyed having coffee with her friends at Riverview Manor.

Survivors include her children, Bernice (Gordie) Lancastor of Bemidji, Dorothy (Kent) Miller of Annandale, Lorraine Ahrens of Andover, John (Val) Ahrens of Bemidji, and Duane (Teri) Ahrens of Colorado Springs, Colorado; 11 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and five great-great-grandchildren; and sister, Millie Blank of Sauk Centre.

Fernie was preceded in death by her husband, John Ahrens; parents; brothers and sisters, William Engel, Fred Engel, Martha Lindbeck, Sydney Engel, Archie Engel, Richard Engel, Florence Warner, Lucille Renkin, and Virgil Engel.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred.