Attaullah Akrami

Ataullah (Ata) Akrami of Louisville, KY at the age of 93 passed away at 10:30 in the evening on Friday, January 3, 2025, at Nortons Hospital Brownsboro after suffering a stroke 2 weeks prior.  Ata was born in Kashan, Iran on August 14, 1932, to parents Abbas Akrami and Tahereh Khanum Akrami. Ata was married to Azar Akrami (Mohi) in 1960. 

Ata relocated the rest of his family from Tehran, Iran to Louisville, KY in 1979 due to religious persecution against the Bahai Faith during the Iranian Revolution. His older son Ramin was sent to the United States in 1977 to attend private school. Their close friends and neighbors from Iran- the Kanani family-settled in Louisville sometime before them with hopes of eventually returning to Iran someday. Louisville, KY was the choice they made when most Iranians moved to Los Angelas, New York or Chicago.  

Ata was hardworking and persistent against all odds and setbacks due to his strong devotion to his beloved Bahai Faith. He and his small family arrived in Louisville with a suitcase each, some cash, gold and no other assets (due to the Iranian Government seizing their home and bank accounts). Despite these uncertainties and stress, he provided his family with a new life in an unfamiliar country. 

Ata was a cheerful worker bee; it was rare to ever hear him complain about having to work. He was a news broadcaster in Iran in the 1960s and was an accountant for the National Oil Company up until him and his family left for the United States. While in the United States he attended Sullivan University and earned an accountant’s degree, worked as a rug mender, as a baker for Mastersons restaurant, Meijer’s bakery department, Kroger as an accountant, and all while being the founder of Ata’s Catering. Alongside his wife Azar they catered some of biggest events in Louisville. Some of his notable cliental include the Bingham’s, Brown and Williamson Tobacco Company, The Presbyterian Church Headquarters and countless weddings. His work ethic was unparalleled and while he did work hard all his life he was always in good spirits. In 2005 Ata’s and Azar’s recipes along with their support helped with the founding of Shiraz Mediterranean Grill and they insured that the Akramiflavor and quality made an everlasting impact on the Louisville community. We will remember is bright lovey smile and positive energy every day.

Ata only stopped going in to work because of a bad fall a few years ago. His passions included writing Persian poetry, taking care of his greenhouse where his 30-year-old fig tree lives, tending to all of his house(and Shiraz) plants, planting flowers, basil, mint, tomato’s in the spring, grocery shopping, giving pocket money to his grandchildren and cooking. In his free time, he enjoyed Facebook, and watching Iranian television from the comfort of his home. Over the years he enjoyed spending time with his family and always looking for any opportunity to have company over and feed them good Persian food.

But more than anything, Ata loved his family. He loved working alongside his sons and grandchildren, always with a smile on his face and making jokes. He loved to tell stories of his past and share memories with his grandchildren. Ata made sure that his family never went hungry as there was never a lack of food at the Akrami house- whether that meant picking figs from his fig tree, cooking a delicious snack, Persian pancakes, water melon with rose water, homemade Persian style ice cream or whatever left overs he had in the fridge. He wanted to keep a cheerfully active life until the end.

There are no words that can truly describe what Ata “Joon” means to the Akrami family. We are heart broken but believe that death is not the end of life but another birth to the souls’ next destination. While Ata is at peace please pray for the ones of us who have been left here missing his physical self. Let the memories we have sustain and keep us cheerful during this time that we mourn our loss of such a humble human being. 

Ata has 3 sisters, Tolouieh Akrami Foroughi (deceased), TaliehAkrami Rahmani(deceased) and Attieh Akrami Tamaddon.

Ata is survived by his wife, Azar Akrami, his two sons, Ramin Akrami and Ashcon Akrami, his grandchildren Kamron Akrami, Auriauna Akrami, Azitta Akrami, and Atia Akrami, his sister Attieh Akrami Tamaddon bother in-law Bijan Tamaddon, his two daughter in-laws Cheryl Akrami(Smith) and KathleenAkrami a.ka. Kathi (Austin) Sister and brother in-law Victoria (Mohi) and Bill Corner. Numerous nieces and nephews, Fourough, Guity, Faad, Mahboub (Tolouieh’s children), Parviz, Parvin, Shaheen, Mehrdad, Kamron, Nasrin (Talieh’s children), Niloufar, Charlie, Yassaman (Attieh’s children), Dr. Sean Corner, Kaveh Tabibzadeh, Dr. Kambiz Tabibzadeh(Victoria and Bill Corner’s children) and his wife Mehrman and several great nieces and nephews and so many friends not to be forgotten his dear Shiraz family he loved them all so much. He was preceded in death by two older sisters, Tolouieh Khanum Foroughi (Abbas Foroughi), Talieh Khanum Rahmani (Abbas Rahmani), and his parents Abbas Akrami and Tahereh Khanum Akrami .

Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2025, from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Stoess Funeral Home, Crestwood, KY.  A prayer service will be from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. afterward we will be sharing memories at Shiraz in Holiday Manor starting at 6:00 p.m.

Burial will be held Pewee Valley Cemetery (Confederate).  NO PROCESSION FROM FUNERAL HOME. His burial will be later when the weather conditions improve.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Attaullah Akrami, please visit our floral store.