KATHLEEN E. AHRENS

November 15, 1940 - May 25, 2026

Kathleen E. Ahrens (née Rosenmayer), of Pahrump, NV, passed away on May 25, 2026 at the age of 85.

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, Kathleen built a life full of love, laughter, and quiet strength. In November 1997, she and Charlie left Chicago behind for the wide-open, sunny skies of Pahrump, Nevada, where she would spend the next several decades doing the things she loved most.

Kathleen was an avid bingo player — and worker — and could often be found at the casino, where she enjoyed the company, the lights, and a little luck. She was also a gifted sewer and quilter, and the sweaters, quilts, and keepsakes she stitched by hand will continue to wrap her family in her love for years to come.

Her story was also one of remarkable courage. First diagnosed with breast cancer in August 1986, Kathleen went on to face cancer nine different times over the course of nearly forty years — and beat it again and again. She was diligent about her health, never missing a test, and meeting every new diagnosis head-on with treatment and resolve. She was, in every sense of the word, a fighter. She battled valiantly until her very last days, and through it all she never lost her sharp wit, her sarcasm, or her sense of humor — qualities that stayed with her, and lifted those around her, right to the end.

Kathleen is survived by her husband, Charlie; her children, Julie (Dennis) Jabczysnki, Debbie (Frank) Shinault, and Charles (Becky) Ahrens; her seven grandchildren, Ashley (Jabczysnki) Tuburan, Andy Jabczysnki, Danielle Jabczysnki, Charles J Ahrens, Cooper Ahrens, Lucy Ahrens, and Theo Ahrens; her three great-grandchildren, Mackenzie Relyea, Kai Tuburan, and Logan Jabczyski; her sisters, Sharon Ricci and Rita Goodman; her brother, Rudy (Lori) Rosenmayer; her sister-in-law, Loretta Rosenmayer; and her brother-in-law, Dave Carta.

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Vicki Lynn, who passed at the age of three; her sister, Sue Carta; and her brothers, Dan and Art Rosenmayer.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Our Lady of the Valley in Pahrump, NV on June 19th at 11:00 a.m., and another service on July 11 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Celestine Catholic Church in Elmwood Park, IL. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society or the American Lung Association, organizations close to Kathleen's heart.

She will be remembered for her strength, her humor, and the love she stitched into everything — and everyone — she touched.