Bernard Alfred Ahern
January 7, 1925 - July 18, 2011
Bernard "Barney" Alfred Ahern died Monday, July 18, 2011, from injuries suffered from a fall at his home July 15. He was 86 years old.
He was born Jan. 7, 1925, in El Reno, Okla., to parents Don and Ruby Ahern. His father owned a title and insurance business, and his mother, who would have five sons and a daughter, was a homemaker.
He grew up going to El Reno's small Catholic school, Sacred Heart, from grade school through high school. He was raised in the Depression, but his days of youth were golden to him, creating a bed of stories he'd spin throughout his life.
At 17, he enlisted to join the Marines, to fight in World War II. In June of 1944, he was part of the invasion of the island of Saipan. After surviving several harrowing days of intense battle unscathed, on July 3, the private was seriously injured by artillery fire. Shrapnel struck his neck, smashed through his jaw and shattered his teeth, and took apart part of his right hand.
Near death and pumped full of morphine, he was taken to the beach, eventually to a hospital ship, then to a hospital in San Diego for months of care.
On Aug. 20, 1945, he married the girl he'd fallen in love with before the war, Patricia McCabe.
Times were tough for the young couple after the war. Barney tried his hand at several jobs and careers. In the late 1940s, Pat and Barney and their first two children moved to Oregon seeking employment.
While in Portland, Barney heard about a grocery store in Warm Springs hiring. The Aherns soon found themselves living on the reservation as Barney worked for See's Mercantile. The grocery business would be the career that stuck.
Though they missed their beloved Oklahoma very much, they also thoroughly enjoyed their new life, and their many new friends, in Warm Springs.
In 1955, Barney took a job with the Safeway store in Madras. That's when Bernard became Barney, as the store manager thought Bernard was too long and formal -- that Barney was a much better fit. By now, he and Pat had two other children, and a fifth would be born in 1956.
Barney consistently earned promotions at Safeway, but that meant moving. From 1957 through 1963, the family moved to Pendleton, to Goldendale, then to Baker, then back to Madras. When the dust settled, Pat and Barney had three more kids and he was the manager of the Madras Safeway.
In 1968, the push to work for himself, and to be able to employ his children, helped inspire Barney to open Ahern's Stop 'n Shop in north Madras.
Having the sting of failed ventures in the past, Barney was determined it wouldn't happen again. He poured his soul into the store and made it successful, with plenty of help from his wife and kids. But the real key to the store's success was that people liked to do business with Barney. Everyone knew him as fair, honest, nonjudgmental, and amazingly likable.
While he worked from sunup to sundown nearly every day in his commitment to make his business succeed, he always took time to serve his beloved St. Patrick's Catholic Church and his community of Madras, spending time on the city Planning Commission, the City Council and the 509-J School Board.
He also had a lifelong love of sports (especially basketball) and enjoyed watching his kids, and later his grandkids, participate.
In 1987, Barney and Pat retired and sold their business to their son, Mike. After raising eight kids and decades of hard work, Barney and Pat had time to spend on themselves. They traveled, visiting many parts of the world, and cherished their time with friends and especially their time with each other. (This Aug. 20 would have been their 66th anniversary).
Barney was his happiest when spending time with his family -- he had 22 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
He enjoyed playing cards and watching sports, especially Trail Blazers and Red Sox games. He had endured a range of physical conditions and illnesses in his later years, but always remained upbeat and never lost his sense of humor.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Madras July 21, followed by a veteran's burial service at Mount Jefferson Memorial Park.
Those who would like to make a memorial contribution in his honor are encouraged to do so to the Kids Club of Jefferson County at P.O. Box 571, Madras, OR 97741, the Jefferson County Food Bank, at 556 S.E. Seventh St., Madras, OR 97741, or any charity of one's choice.
Bernard Alfred Ahern
January 7, 1925 - July 18, 2011
Bernard "Barney" Alfred Ahern died Monday, July 18, 2011, from injuries suffered from a fall at his home July 15. He was 86 years old.
He was born Jan. 7, 1925, in El Reno, Okla., to parents Don and Ruby Ahern. His father owned a title and insurance business, and his mother, who would have five sons and a daughter, was a homemaker.
He grew up going to El Reno's small Catholic school, Sacred Heart, from grade school through high school. He was raised in the Depression, but his days of youth were golden to him, creating a bed of stories he'd spin throughout his life.
At 17, he enlisted to join the Marines, to fight in World War II. In June of 1944, he was part of the invasion of the island of Saipan. After surviving several harrowing days of intense battle unscathed, on July 3, the private was seriously injured by artillery fire. Shrapnel struck his neck, smashed through his jaw and shattered his teeth, and took apart part of his right hand.
Near death and pumped full of morphine, he was taken to the beach, eventually to a hospital ship, then to a hospital in San Diego for months of care.
On Aug. 20, 1945, he married the girl he'd fallen in love with before the war, Patricia McCabe.
Times were tough for the young couple after the war. Barney tried his hand at several jobs and careers. In the late 1940s, Pat and Barney and their first two children moved to Oregon seeking employment.
While in Portland, Barney heard about a grocery store in Warm Springs hiring. The Aherns soon found themselves living on the reservation as Barney worked for See's Mercantile. The grocery business would be the career that stuck.
Though they missed their beloved Oklahoma very much, they also thoroughly enjoyed their new life, and their many new friends, in Warm Springs.
In 1955, Barney took a job with the Safeway store in Madras. That's when Bernard became Barney, as the store manager thought Bernard was too long and formal -- that Barney was a much better fit. By now, he and Pat had two other children, and a fifth would be born in 1956.
Barney consistently earned promotions at Safeway, but that meant moving. From 1957 through 1963, the family moved to Pendleton, to Goldendale, then to Baker, then back to Madras. When the dust settled, Pat and Barney had three more kids and he was the manager of the Madras Safeway.
In 1968, the push to work for himself, and to be able to employ his children, helped inspire Barney to open Ahern's Stop 'n Shop in north Madras.
Having the sting of failed ventures in the past, Barney was determined it wouldn't happen again. He poured his soul into the store and made it successful, with plenty of help from his wife and kids. But the real key to the store's success was that people liked to do business with Barney. Everyone knew him as fair, honest, nonjudgmental, and amazingly likable.
While he worked from sunup to sundown nearly every day in his commitment to make his business succeed, he always took time to serve his beloved St. Patrick's Catholic Church and his community of Madras, spending time on the city Planning Commission, the City Council and the 509-J School Board.
He also had a lifelong love of sports (especially basketball) and enjoyed watching his kids, and later his grandkids, participate.
In 1987, Barney and Pat retired and sold their business to their son, Mike. After raising eight kids and decades of hard work, Barney and Pat had time to spend on themselves. They traveled, visiting many parts of the world, and cherished their time with friends and especially their time with each other. (This Aug. 20 would have been their 66th anniversary).
Barney was his happiest when spending time with his family -- he had 22 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
He enjoyed playing cards and watching sports, especially Trail Blazers and Red Sox games. He had endured a range of physical conditions and illnesses in his later years, but always remained upbeat and never lost his sense of humor.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Madras July 21, followed by a veteran's burial service at Mount Jefferson Memorial Park.
Those who would like to make a memorial contribution in his honor are encouraged to do so to the Kids Club of Jefferson County at P.O. Box 571, Madras, OR 97741, the Jefferson County Food Bank, at 556 S.E. Seventh St., Madras, OR 97741, or any charity of one's choice.
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