John William Ahearn

John William Ahearn, 73, of Oxnard, CA passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on November 12, 2022. John was born in Oxnard to Jane Ahearn on April 11, 1949. John grew up in Port Hueneme and graduated from Hueneme High School in 1967. After graduation, John joined the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970 and honorably served in the Vietnam War. Upon returning from Vietnam, John attended the Police Academy and became an Oxnard Police Officer, where he proudly served from 1973 until his retirement in 2001. John could be summed up in three words: Family, God and Country. John loved to help others, whether it was repairing a car engine or remodeling a house, he was the fix-it guy.

1968, John joined the Army, and proudly served his country during 1968-1970. During this time, John demonstrated true valor and honor and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Medical Badge, Army Commendation Medal, Bronze Star Medal, two Oversea's Bats and a Sharpshooter Medal. Each of these represents John's dedication and commitment to his country.

During his lifetime, John developed countless hobbies, one of them being working on and fixing cars, if he could get his hands on a set of tools, you could find him under the hood of a car. John also enjoyed remodeling especially the homes he and Martha lived in. John brought each house to life by adding character and his personal touch to each one. The news was also a great interest to John, watching intently as he made sure he was staying informed of all the current affairs, there was never a news story that John missed.

John also loved getting his hands on a good nonfictional book and would spend hours reading. Despite all his hobbies, nothing gave John greater joy than the time he spent with his family, this above all was his greatest and most treasured passion. John never missed his son Andy's football or baseball games, always cheering from the sidelines as his #1 fan. When John wasn't rooting for Andy, you could find him happily driving around his daughter's Beckie and Diane along with the whole cheerleading squad. When John became a grandpa, his family grew, and he loved doting on his grandchildren. Nothing was more important to John than spending quality time with each of his 7 grandchildren.

During his time serving the Oxnard Police Department, John held different roles from Patrol to Detective to Motors, which was his personal favorite. John loved driving around the city streets of Oxnard serving and protecting the community. In 1990, the Officer of the Year Award was bestowed upon John, an award that he felt truly honored to receive and was well deserved. In the 73 years that John lived, he was so many things to so many people. He was a son, a brother, a hero, a husband, a dad, a papa, an uncle and a friend. John truly had a heart of gold, always looking out for others, lending a listening ear, or his arms for a hug. John wasn't just present; he was fully present 100% of the time. John didn't just live for his happiness but for the happiness of others. John was a strong believer in his faith and always put his family first. He was taken from us far too soon, but he leaves behind a legacy and a lifetime of memories that will forever be in our hearts.

John is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Martha; his children Andrew (Cristal) Ahearn, Rebecca Ahearn, and Diane (Jesse) Eller; the lights of his life - his grandchildren - Brittney, Aric, Derek, Ryan, Ryley, Olivia and Desirae; his sister Mary Jane (John) Reed; and numerous family and friends. He is preceded in death by his father John Andrew Ahearn and his mother Jane Lindsay Ahearn.

The viewing will be held on November 29th from 4:00pm-6:30pm, followed by a rosary at 6:30pm at Reardon's Mortuary (511 North A. Street). Mass will be held on November 30th at 10:00am at Santa Clara Church (323 South E. Street), followed by final resting place at Santa Clara Cemetery.