Laurence C. Aakre

Laurence C. Aakre, 94, Moorhead, MN, died Wednesday, March 26, at Hospice House, Sanford Medical Center, Fargo, ND.

Laurence was born at Rollag, MN, to Carl Aakre and Mabel (Nelson) Aakre, on April 12,1930, the youngest of nine children. His mother died when Laurence was only a year and a half old. His sister, Charlotte, who was then ten years old, assumed the duty of being mother to her brothers and sisters.

Laurence attended Woodland District #3 east of Rollag, and Hawley High School, but left school to help his father farm when his brothers entered the armed services for World War II.

In 1948, he and his brother Robert bought their father's equipment and began farming on their own.

Laurence married Florence Bjornson of Hawley on June 7, 1952. They made their home with his father, Carl, in Rollag until they purchased a farm a few miles south of Hawley in 1959.

In 1972, Laurence and Florence bought Rollag Implement, a Case and Gehl farm equipment dealership, from his cousin, Noel Nelson. Laurence continued farming while running the dealership. Rollag Implement added International Harvester tractors and farm equipment in 1985 when that company merged with Case.

Laurence discontinued farming in 1995, and he and Florence moved into a new home built in Hawley by his nephews, Mike and Wayne Aakre.

They closed Rollag Implement in 2000, and spent several winters in Mesa, Arizona, where they enjoyed visiting with other retired friends and neighbors from their area.

Laurence and Florence enjoyed many trips overseas. They joined other Minnesota implement dealers on a tour of England, Sweden, Germany, Russia, Switzerland, and Belgium. For Laurence, one of the most treasured memories was visiting the area of the Battle of the Bulge, in which his brother Raymond earned the Silver Star for bravery. They also visited Norway in 1982 when the Hjemkomst ship, built in Hawley, sailed there. Laurence and Florence also won trips from their dealership to Jamaica, Caribbean Islands, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Laurence is survived by his children Steven (Mary Sather Aakre) and Sheryl (LeRoy) Grandbois; grandchildren Matthew (Natalie) Grandbois, of Lexington, MA; Joseph (Jessica) Grandbois, of Eagan, MN; David (Elizabeth) Grandbois, of Shakopee, MN; Christopher (Desiree Ahrens) Aakre, of Rochester, MN; Grant (Katie) Aakre, of Kirkland, WA; and Harrison (Samantha) Aakre, of Alexandria, MN; and fifteen great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his wife; his sisters Mildred Flaten, Anna Herbranson, and Charlotte Henry; his brothers Raymond, Robert, James, Herbert, and Carl, Jr. He is survived by his sister-in-law, Clarice (Thorson) Aakre.

Laurence's family wishes to thank everyone at Sanford Medical Center and Sanford Hospice House for their loving and compassionate care.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, April 3, 2025, from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7 p.m. at Wright Funeral Home, Hawley, MN.

Visitation will continue Friday, April 4, at 10 a.m. followed by the funeral service with Livestream at 11 a.m. at Hegland Lutheran Church, rural Hawley, MN.

Burial will be in the church cemetery.

A livestream of the funeral service can be found below.