John R. "Jack" Ahola

John R Ahola     

White Pine, Michigan “Jack” John Richard Ahola passed away at 83 peacefully Friday April 8th 2022.

Jack was born April 10th 1938 in Chicago Hts, Illinois. He attended school in Mass City, Mi. Jack entered the US Army Medical Corp in 1955 and Headquarters Fort Sam Houston, Texas until 1957. He worked in construction. In 1960 Jack went to work for White Pine Copper as an underground laborer. He was called back to duty in 1961 to Transfer Point, Fort Carson, Colorado until 1962.

Jack then went back to work for the White Pine Copper Mine as an underground miner and equipment operator from 1960-1968, Mine Services Foreman 1968-1970, Mine Service General Foreman 1970-1973, Assistant Service Superintendent – utilities 1973-1974, Superintendent of Utilities 1974-1978, Mine Service Superintend 1978-1989. Jack was responsible for construction, operation and maintenance on 16 miles of the underground conveyor system with associated crushing equipment, also all facility and utility functions.  This included 80 miles of pipelines, 30 miles of roadways, and 1.5 million cfm of air. Mine services won special honors for the longest accident-free record while in operation.

Jack was S.W. Mine manager 1990-1992. He was responsible for supervising over 300 people in the production, maintenance and service operations of a 2600 feet deep underground mine, included the production cycle, support services, safety, union management relations, employee involvement and formulating and executing an annual capital budget of 5 million dollars.

Employee Involvement 1985-1992, Member of the three union-management groups which designed, installed, employee involvement plan at Copper Range, and served as chairman of the company’s awards committee.

Member of the 20-member management group which reopened and managed Copper Range as an employee-owned company. As an underground miner, ran all underground equipment including bulldozers, graders, backhoe, etc.

After the mine in White Pine closed Jack joined Linwood Mining in Iowa in 1993 as a Mine Superintendent. His experience and ideas from 32 years of mining would be beneficial. In 1999 he was promoted to Mine Manager and retired in January of 2005.

While employed at the copper mine, he also worked part-time doing carpentry work. In the summer of 1992, he built a 28 by 30 garage for himself, cut firewood, did his own maintenance on all the vehicles, lawn equipment, snow equipment snowmobiles, four wheels, side by side, etc.

Jack enjoyed hunting, fishing, smelting, snowmobiling, skiing downhill and cross country, hunting elk, in Wyoming, pheasant hunting in South Dakota, deer hunting at his camp and family farm, partridge hunting. He played in softball tournaments for Tubby’s in Ontonagon and the Legion in White pine

Jack was a member of the American Legion Post 462 White Pine, Mi. He was also a part of the White Pine Fire Department from 1965-1993 and served on the committees at the Lutheran and United Methodist churches in White Pine.

He was preceded in death by his parents George and Dorothy Ahola, wife Carol Ahola & nephew Kyle Ahola.

Surviving are his best friend and companion “ Phoebe” of 14 ½ years, wife and caregiver Gloria Ahola of White Pine, Brother Edmund Ahola of Mass City, Brother Byron Ahola of Ontonagon, Son Brian D, Ahola of Fishtail, Montana, Grandson Brian C Ahola, Great Grand Daughter Brenna Jo, Daughter Jane (Scott Maierle), of Green Bay, WI granddaughter Sherri (Todd Umentum), grandsons James and Andrew, granddaughter Adalynn, son Larry Barnabo (Dyanne) of Hudson, WI, granddaughter Halle (Troy Bailey) Madison, WI, Daughter Lauri Barnabo (Frank Hill) of Garland, TX son John “Jay” Barnabo of Manasha, WI, daughter Teresa (Tad Bey) of Rhinelander, WI.

A memorial service will be held at White Pine Community United Methodist Church, 9 Tamarack St. White Pine, MI on May 7, 2022 at 10 a.m. Committal & military rites will take place at approximately Noon in the Rousseau Cemetery in Rousseau, MI. The military rites will be conducted by the Ontonagon County Veteran's Association. A luncheon will follow at the Konteka Restaurant in White Pine at approximately 1:30 p.m.

For those who wish, the family requests donations be made to Camp Josh, C/O J.R. Richardson, 36658 McGuire Rd. Ontonagon, MI 49953. Or online at campjosh.org. 

The Cane Funeral Home of Ontonagon is assisting the family.

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