Duane Henry Knutt

Duane Henry Knutt was born on September 30, 1933 and received his Christmas wish on December 28, 2019 to go his heavenly home.  Duane, with his parents Henry and Hilda (Kinnunen) Knutt, lived in Rocklake, North Dakota and in 1944, was overjoyed when his parents had another son, Allan.

Upon graduating from Rocklake High School in 1951, Duane attended the University of North Dakota and graduated in 1955 with a degree in Business Administration and then started law school.   However, Duane’s strong love of cars and farming drew him into the traveling life; first for Standard Oil Company, later Massey Ferguson and Allis Chalmers.  Then by chance at the Glyndon Speedway, he met Mavis (Gunderson) Gjervold and in 1962, they were married. His new family included her 3 little girls Lindy, Holly and Heidi.  The family again grew when Laura and Penny were born, completing his own personal basketball team.

In 1968, the family moved back home to Rocklake to help with the family farm and expand their business, Knutt Farm Equipment.  During this time, Duane served his church as an Elder and President of  All Nations Lutheran church.  Never one to sit still, after the sale of the family implement business, Duane went back on the road again, working for Big Wheels, Inc.  In 1987, Mavis and Duane moved to Cando, ND after acquiring ownership of Knutt Chevrolet. He and Mavis eventually moved to Moorhead to be closer to his girls.

Duane was a humble and kind man.  As husband and father, he was our hero.  His deep love for his family and their needs were his sole purpose in life.  He was very proud of his daughters as their talents grew and families blossomed.  But nothing gave him greater joy, than watching his grandchildren – then in recent years, his great grandchildren!

But the greatest of all, was his love for Jesus.  Even in his darkest moments of illness, he would continue to minister to those around him – hoping his message of Jesus’s love would reach them.

Duane is survived by his wife Mavis, and his daughters Lindy (Charles) Block, Holly (Barrett) Warren, Heidi (Patrick) Brune, Laura (Lane) Stave, Penny (Elliott) Meier and his brother Allan (Sonja) Knutt.  Missing trips to the Dairy Queen will be his grandchildren – Jessica, David, Josh, Drew, Samantha, Tyler, Connor, Jacob, Kyla, Tanner, Maddie, Elliana and his great grandchildren – Graham, Ava, Rylan, Everly, Oaklyn, Logan, Remington, Macallan and Scarlet.

Duane was a man who traveled a million miles in his lifetime, made thousands of new friends wherever he “made a call”.  Proud of getting only 2 speeding tickets, he was always quick with a comeback, a chuckle that warmed the heart and a mind like a Rocklake history book…our hearts will be forever grateful God chose him for us.

Duane was preceded in death by his parents, sister-in-law Sharon Knutt, brother-in-law Noel Gunderson, and treasured nephews Scott Allan Knutt and Thomas Dean Gunderson.

Visitation will be Friday, January 10, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m., with prayer service at 7 p.m., in Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN.

Funeral will be Saturday, January 11, at 2:00 p.m., in Wright Funeral Home, Moorhead, MN.

Interment will be at Oak Grove Cemetery, Detroit Lakes, MN.