Jay Douglas Ahrens, 80, died September 9, 2025 in his home in Savannah under the care of Hospice.

He was born on July 18, 1945, in Brooklyn, N.Y., and grew up in Chatham, N.J. He graduated with a BS from Muhlenberg College in 1967 and an MBA from Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1974.

Jay was a decorated Air Force Pilot serving in the United States Airforce from 1967-1972.  He flew F4s in over 200 missions during the Vietnam War earning many distinctions including the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Upon returning from Vietnam and graduating from The Wharton School, Jay spent 16 years working for Solomon Brothers. He left Wall Street to become Chief Financial Officer and eventually Chief Executive Officer of Holly’s, Inc., a real estate hotel management company in Grand Rapids, MI.  He led Holly’s for over 12 years, navigating a restructuring and eventual sale of the company.

Jay’s proudest accomplishment was his family.  Jay was a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend.  Jay married his high school sweetheart, Jean Eleanor Ryerson, on October 1, 1967.  Together they moved across the country from three different Air Force bases, and they settled down to raise their children Jennifer and Judson in Cherry Hill, NJ, Paoli, PA, Summit, NJ, and Grand Rapids, MI.  Jay established lifelong friends in each of these special communities and became recognized as the behind the scenes leader to many causes.  In 2002, Jay and Jean retired to Savannah expanding friendship networks and rechannelling his unrelenting energy into golf and community service with Kiwanis.

Jay was preceded in death by his parents J. Judson Ahrens and Dorthory Borden Ahrens, brother Alan B. Ahrens, father-in-law Irving Reynold Ryerson and mother-in-law Patricia Evelyn Ryerson, and son Judson Douglas Ahrens.  Jay is survived by his wife, Jean, daughter Jennifer (Ahrens) Butler and husband Christopher Butler and grandchildren, Marc and Catherine Butler of Arlington, MA, sister-in-law Lynn Barnard and brother-in-law Joseph Barnard of Savannah, nephew Andrew Barnard and wife Lendy Barnard of Charleston, SC, nephew Matthew Barnard and wife Miriam Barnard of Sea Girt, NJ, niece Courtney Ahrens and husband Ed Mosteig of Long Beach, CA, and nephew Chandler Ahrens and wife Joelle Ahrens of St. Louis, MO. 

He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.  A very heartfelt thank you to the team of angels by his side, including Hospice Care Jenni and Hatti, and his caregiver Rebecca.

A family service will be held in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial contributions can be made to :

Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation

https://donate.fallenpatriots.org/give/199325/#!/donation/checkout