Robert P. Ahern was born on March 19, 1942 to Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Ahern in Laconia, New Hampshire. He graduated from Laconia High School with the class of 1960. While at Laconia High School he played football as quarter-back and defensive end as well as a member of the ski team. He also was a pole vaulter for the track team. He later attended Bates College, where he graduated with a bachelors degree in 1964 and also in 1967 from Columbia Law School. In 1967 he served as an intern to Sen. Tom McIntyre and the previous summer he worked as a law clerk. Due to his premature death, Robert had no kids and never married.