In Memory of

Aaron

Peter

Ahles-Iverson

Obituary for Aaron Peter Ahles-Iverson

Aaron Peter Ahles-Iverson, 40, child of God, died Friday July 13, 2018. He was born February 20, 1978 to Valerian Ahles and Christine Iverson.

Aaron grew up in many places but went to high school in Atchison, Kansas where he graduated in 1996. He then went to college at Missouri Western State University in St. Joseph Missouri, graduating with a degree in instrumental music education. He then served as director of bands at Chilicothe, Missouri for two years. After that, he worked with a college friend in the then new business Prolific Technologies of St. Joseph, becoming the manager.

Through all of this, music has been and continued to be a large and important part of his life. In high school, he went for three years to Lutheran Summer Music Academy (LSM). As a senior, he received the John Phillip Sousa award for outstanding musicianship and leadership. During college, he was active in bands, jazz, orchestra, and chamber music. It was also then, that he began arranging music, including for marching band shows. He was a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, serving as president of the chapter. He was a long time member of the St. Joseph Symphony, as bassoonist. He also played in the Northwinds Symphonic Band of Kansas City and the Cameron Municipal Band. He played many instruments in many ensembles, being able to pick up almost any wind instrument and play at a performance level.

Aaron and his brother were inseparable almost from Ben’s birth. They shared their mutual love of music, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, baseball, and discussion of theological and current events. Along with friends, they made epic journeys visiting baseball fields across the country. Aaron loved space, astronomy, and NASA, following the space program even as a young child. He believed in God and the exploration of the universe: his faith gave him a sense of awe and amazement, which fueled his love of science.

The brightest sunshine in his life recently, was his niece Elizabeth. Aaron was so proud, not only to be her uncle, but her godfather as well. He loved her greatly and became even more protective of her since his brother’s death in March. It is no coincidence that Aaron died four months to the day of his brother’s funeral.

Aaron was preceded in death by his grandparents Elizabeth and Valentine Ahles (Cold Spring, MN) and Mildred and Alvin Iverson (Spring Valley, WI) and his brother the Rev. Benjamin Ahles-Iverson (Taylor, WI). He is survived by his parents, Rev. Valerian Ahles and Rev. Christine Iverson, his sister Phoebe (and Nathan) Schwabe, sister-in-law Rev. Mara Ahles-Iverson, and niece Elizabeth Kay Ahles-Iverson.

Memorials are to be given to the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) World Hunger Program, and the St. Joseph Symphony.