Biography

YOUNGSTOWN Michael Douglas Ahren, 66, died Wednesday morning, October 23, 2013 at his home. He was born November 25, 1946 in Fairview Park, OH a son of Michael Ahren and Marie A. Fleming Ahren Remer.

Michael earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from The Ohio State University where he studied painting, graphics, and performance art under E.F. Hebner and computer animation under Charles Csuri, recognized as the father of digital art and animation. Michael was an accomplished acoustical guitarist and songwriter, and loved all genres of music, film, literature, and philosophy.

Michael began his long and varied career as art director for Cinecraft Productions in Cleveland. From there he ventured to Atlanta where he formed Artstar Creative, specializing in corporate event design and production. A notable accomplishment of his career in Atlanta was his development of presentation materials credited with earning Atlanta the 1996 Olympic Games.

Michael returned to the area in 2007 as senior designer for Zootz Creative. During the last several years, he revisited his passion for abstract painting through a series of mixed media constructs entitled Industrial Dreams, Yangtze Silt, and Ancient Sunlight, many of which were exhibited at venues including the Butler Institute of American Art; Louisville, Kentucky's KAS Gallery - Urban Art Exhibition; Art International at Pittsburgh's Boxheart Gallery; and The Salmagundi Art Club in New York City. Ahren earned awards for his art and was especially proud of the President's Award for Collage and Mixed Media from the Salmagundi in NYC; his selection as one of twenty artists chosen out of hundreds of international entries exhibited in Pittsburgh; and awards earned in the Butler Midyear Shows.

He leaves his wife of 23 years and best friend of 46 years Sarah "Wink" Dosch Ahren of Hubbard, OH; his treasured children, sons Michael G. (Tara) Ahren of Streetsboro, OH and Christopher R. Ahren of Youngstown, OH, and daughter Alexandra (Orion) Ahren of Long Beach, California; a brother Gregory Ahren of Avon Lake, OH; three sisters Debbie (Danny) Mahoney of Lakewood, OH, Suzy (Steve) Bednarski of Rocky River, OH, and Cindy (George) Souris of Lakewood, OH; an uncle and namesake Douglas Fleming of Alexandria, VA; a step-father, Louis Remer of Lakewood, OH; sisters-in-law Kathleen Zappin of Columbus, OH and Mary M. (Rich) Buchenic of Hubbard, OH; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Michael and Marie; in-laws Ray and Pauline Dosch; and sister-in-law Sheryl D. Dosch.

Friends and family may call on Monday, October, 28, 2013 from 12:30 to 2:30 PM at the Kelley-Robb-Cummins Funeral Home in Hubbard, OH. Immediately following calling hours, a Russian Orthodox prayer service will be held at the Funeral Home.

Please visit www.krcummins.com to view this obituary and to send condolences to the family.

Calling Hours

Monday October 28, 2013, 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM at Kelley-Robb-Cummins Funeral Home
Click for Map and Directions

Funeral Service

Monday October 28, 2013, 2:30 PM at Kelley-Robb-Cummins Funeral Home
Click for Map and Directions