Lucas 'Luke' Ahrens

Lucas (Luke) Ahrens, a passionate park ranger and loving husband, passed away unexpectedly at age 30 on Sunday November 28th, 2021 at his home in Trenton, Maine. He is survived by his beloved and newly wedded spouse, Rachel Ahrens (Butler); his two parents, Deborah Young and Jeffrey Ahrens; his brothers, Zack (Becky) Ahrens and Jake (Kathleen) Ahrens. Luke was born December 20th, 1990 in Melrose, Massachusetts. He studied Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Maine in Orono, graduating in 2013 with a Bachelors Degree. Working for the National Park Service, Luke was an interpretive park ranger for 8 different national parks and 10 seasons over the past 6 years (Rainbow Bridge, Big Cypress, Cape Hatteras, Sequoia, Biscayne, Cape Lookout, Springfield Armory, and Acadia). Luke was thrilled to have finally been offered a permanent position at Gulf Islands in Florida and was looking forward to starting that newest chapter. Luke spent most of his time with his wife, 2 guinea pigs, and 2 kittens while enjoying a superfluous amount of hobbies. When the weather was nice, Luke could be found playing disc golf, hiking a new trail, mountain biking, and practicing archery. Days not spent outside were spent playing video games, practicing creative writing, binge-watching TV shows, and making the most amazing buffalo chicken pizza. The family is heartbroken and devastated, but we hope to remember Luke by his brilliant smile, a gift that could brighten any room and lift any heart. Luke's love for life was infectious. With his playfulness and authenticity, he could bring you along on any one of his adventures, making you love what he loved, thrill in what made him happy, and find humor in what made him laugh. This is what made Luke special and what made him so good at games. Whether it was a board game, video game, a made-up game, or even mini-golf, he always found a way to win. But it wasn't necessarily winning that drove him, he was the opposite of competitive and would go out of his way to actually try and help you. It was his pure and authentic approach to life that made him so good. He just wanted to play. Wining was just a result; it was in playing the game or experiencing life that Luke found the most enjoyment. And that's what made Luke such an amazing park ranger, husband, son, brother, and friend. He found beauty in this world and had a gift of sharing it so you could see through his eyes. Luke took refuge and comfort in nature. Throughout his life he would seek out nature as a place of solace and clarity. He would want all of us to do the same as we cope with his passing and honor his life. "Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature -- the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter." - Rachel Carson. Please help us honor and remember Luke during visiting hours at the Robinson Funeral Home, 809 Main St., Melrose on Sunday, December 5 from 2 - 5pm, followed by a Service of Remembrance at 5pm. LIVESTREAM To watch the service remotely please use the following link: https://my.gather.app/remember/lucas-ahrens If you wish, donations in Luke's memory can be made to the National Park Foundation, www.nationalparks.org or to the Nature Conservancy, www.nature.org