Stephony E. Ahrens

Stephony E. Ahrens (Hinrichs, Reed) 63, died from a single car accident on April 8, 2025, in Fremont, NE. Stephony was born on February 16, 1962, to Herb and Donna Ahrens in Alliance, NE. She attended Table Center School through the eighth grade, and then graduated from Chadron High School in 1980.

Stephony began working early, growing up on a farm with no brothers. She hauled hay bales, milked cows, butchered fowl, and so much more. Always one to work hard, Stephony worked at a warehouse, and operated her own daycare. After graduating from WNCC (Western Nebraska Community College) she began her passion for nourishing others, cooking in various kitchens at area schools and nursing homes. Feeding patrons both a healthy diet and a good dose of humor, with her classic “joke of the day”. Another passion of Stephony’s was gardening, she loved the anticipation of the new sprouts coming up; Stephony always found joy in nurturing life, whether it was through the meals she prepared or the plants she grew, or the “punny” jokes she told.

Stephony is survived by…her grown sons, John (Christi) Hinrichs of Pine Haven, WY and Jeremiah (Nena) Hinrichs of Sandy, UT; three of her sisters, Louise (Dave) Hitchcock of Brighton, CO, Gretchen (Jay) Lees of Chadron, NE, and Heather Ahrens of Hay Springs, NE; her step-children Amanda (Mike) Brown, grandchildren Oliver and Ethan from Omaha and Riley (Bri) Reed, grandchildren Crew, Callum, and Scarlet from Omaha; and estranged husband, Rob Reed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Herb and Donna Ahrens, her older sister, Lyla Whitehouse, niece Brittany Koehn, and nephew Stephen E Ahrens-Myers.

Known for her jokes of the day and her infectious laugh, Stephony will be deeply missed by her family, friends, and colleagues.

There will be a celebration of her life held in western Nebraska at a later time