John A. "Bolo" Ahola

World War II veteran, 87
John A. "Bolo" Ahola, 87, of Astoria, died Sunday, March 14, 2010, in Astoria.

He was born Oct. 20, 1922, in Astoria, to Jussi Albanus and Elma M. (Jarvinen) Ahola. He was raised in Astoria, and graduated from Astoria High School in 1940.

On April 21, 1946, he married Lois C. Henningsen in Astoria. She survives, residing in Astoria.

He began trolling with Wayne Merila in 1940. He then worked at the Uptegrove Lumber Company from 1940 to 1942.

On Sept. 15, 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the South Pacific during World War II until his discharge in 1946.

After his return from the service, Mr. Ahola apprenticed as a carpenter and shipwright for Columbia Boat Co. In 1954, he worked as a civil service employee at Tongue Point. He then worked at the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station as a maintenance mechanic, and retired from there in 1982.

He was a member of the First Lutheran Church in Astoria.

Family members said his hobbies included steelhead and salmon fishing. He also enjoyed hunting deer, elk and ducks.

He is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Wade and Mary Ahola of Sweet Home and Curt and Shelley Ahola of Astoria; three daughters and sons-in-law, Lynn and Roger Neal of Tacoma, Wash., Jill and Bart Adams of Fox Island, Wash., and Lori and Floyd Lacy of Bonney Lake, Wash.; 10 grandchildren, Ben Ahola and Rachel Tyler and her husband, Nick, all of Sweet Home, Mike Ness and his wife, Tobi, of Lacey, Wash., Matt Ness and Kai Ahola of Astoria, Jeremy Ahola and his wife, Kristie, of Wilsonville, Erik Neal and his wife, Meredith, and Brad Dinsmore, all of Tacoma, Kelsey Dinsmore and her fiance, Jake Kennedy, of Fife, Wash., and Joseph Lacy of Bonney Lake, Wash.; and seven great-grandchildren.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 20 at Greenwood Cemetery in Astoria. A reception will follow at noon at First Lutheran Church, 725 33rd St.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be given to the First Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, or a charity of one's choice, in care of Caldwell's Luce-Layton Mortuary, 1165 Franklin Ave., Astoria, OR 97103.