John Robert Ahlfield, 76, of Columbus, Georgia, formerly of Olney, passed away on Sunday, January 1, 2017 at St. Francis Hospital in Columbus, Georgia.

Funeral service will be on Friday, January 6, 2017 at 1 PM in the chapel of Thrasher Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be one hour before the service. Burial will be at Haven Hill Cemetery in Olney with military honors. Pastor Todd Bettis will be officiating.

Mr. Ahlfield was born March 2, 1940 in Olney, son of Jerome Ahlfield and the late Mary Jackson Ahlfield. He graduated from East Richland High School (ERHS) in 1958 and immediately joined the U.S. Army. He married Barbara Lea Michels on September 6, 1958. He was a devoted husband, father and Papa. He was loved and respected by all who knew him for his commitment to his family as well as his country.

He retired as Sergeant First Class from the U.S. Army with 20 years of active-duty service and two tours in Vietnam. He also retired from Coca-Cola Bottling Company in Columbus, Georgia after 22 years with the company.

Other than his mother, he was preceded in death by his sister, Della King.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 58 years, Barbara Michels Ahlfield of Columbus, Georgia; father Jerome Ahlfield of Olney; son Jerry Ahlfield (Cheryl) of Lebanon, Illinois; daughters, Sheryl Porter (Keith) of Midland, Georgia, Debbie Evermon (David) of Midland, Georgia and Pamela Lenhardt (John) of Pooler, Georgia; 11 grandchildren, Kristine Goffos (Christopher), Tyler, Ashley and Austin Sandoz, Brandon and Cody Porter, Danielle Barfield (Trey), Kristin Pigg (Brooks), Valerie Ward (David), Wesley Evermon, and Jacob Bullard; 4 great-grandchildren Tyler Porter, Kendall Barfield, Chase Hart-Bullard, and Eli Ward.

Flowers are appreciated, but contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org or to the American Cancer Society.

American Cancer Society
P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City OK 73123
Tel: 1-800-227-2345
Web: http://www.cancer.org/

Wounded Warrior Project
PO Box 758517, Topeka KS 66675-8517
Tel: 1-855-448-3997
Web: https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=7792