A.O. Akre, 85, a pioneer Bemidji business man, died Nov. 3, 1955 at Lutheran hospital. He had lived in Bemidji since 1903, when he purchased the Bemidji Bottling Works here. He sold it and later operated the Minnesota hotel in Bemidji and later still, a general store in Nymore, which he sold to Olson and Westness in 1926 to take over management of the Lutheran Hospital. Later he repurchased this store and operated it until he retired in 1941.
Born in Norway in 1870, Mr. Akre moved to Appleton, Minn. in 1896 and there married Anna Lund in 1903.
During his years in Bemidji, he built several homes and was also active in the Nymore Lutheran church, serving as superintendent of its Sunday school for 20 years. He was a director of the Lutheran Hospital for 30 years.
He was survived by his wife, Anna, a son, Carl of Bemidji, a daughter, Mrs. Dennis Williams of Texarkana, Ark., and two foster daughters, Mrs. Rose Rittger of Pasadena, CA, and Mrs. John Dalton of Minneapolis.