R. D. "Dick" Knutson

Richard David Knutson 65, of Fargo, ND, died Friday, March 12, 2010 at the University of California, San Diego, Medical Center, San Diego, CA. Richard David Knutson was born in Long Beach, California on September 11, 1944. When he was one year old, his family moved to Fargo, North Dakota. Dick attended Horace Mann Elementary, Ben Franklin Junior High and graduated from Fargo Central High School in 1962. He attended North Dakota State University in Fargo and the University of Nebraska at Omaha. At the age of 18, Dick became very involved in the concert promotion business. In 1964, Dick and several of his friends promoted their very first large scale concerts, Roy Orbison and Ray Charles. Dick continued in the concert booking business for many years to come, forming “R.D. Knutson Presents.” He promoted hundred of concerts throughout the Upper Midwest and Canada featuring so many different recording artists that it would take forever to list them all. Dick also worked as an entertainment advisor and agent in New York and Las Vegas. In 2005, Dick was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award and inducted into the Midwest Rock and Country hall of Fame for promoting concerts for 40 years throughout the Midwest and Canada. Dick also was involved in many other businesses during his lifetime, including nightclubs, car dealerships, commercial hunting and fishing camps, convenience stores and the manufacturing of fishing equipment. His love of fishing and hunting also played a great role in his life. He owned, and personally guided, fishing and hunting operations in the Upper Midwest and Canada. He was a very active member of Ducks Unlimited, the NRA and was an NRA registered “Denali” guide during those years. His love of fishing and hunting influenced Dick to become very active politically regarding game and fish issues. In the early 1980s, Dick became a co-chair in the “Save Our Game Fish Committee” of Minnesota. The sole purpose of this group was to rid Lake of the Woods of commercial gill nets. After a knockdown, dragout battle in the Minnesota legislature that lasted four years, the group was finally successful in getting rid of the nets. About the same time, Dick wanted to see if it was possible to genetically determine the different growth rates of walleyes in different regions of the country. He formed the “Walleye Research Group” that he primarily funded himself and ended up doing extensive genetic testing on “hawg” walleyes in Greers Ferry Lake in Arkansas, as well as other lakes throughout the U.S. This testing was done with the cooperation of many state game and fish departments and the knowledge gained was put to use in many states. His love of politics also led Dick down the trail of running for political offices. There was never a political race that Dick didn’t want to saddle up for. He ran often but never won, fulfilling his Motto that “If you are not willing to sit down at the poker table of politics you will never get dealt a hand.” Knowing his busy schedule, his friends used to tease him and would ask him what in the world he would do if he ever did win. To say that Dick had a very interesting life would be a huge understatement. He had a fantastic life and had more fun that one could ever hope for. To know him was an adventure to say the least. He will be missed. Dick is survived by his daughter, Ashley Knutson, San Diego, CA. He was preceded in death by his mother, Gertrude. Funeral: Tuesday, March 23, 2010, 10:30 AM at Atonement Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND. Visitation: Monday, March 22, 2010 from 5:00 – 7:00 PM at Hanson-Runsvold Funeral Home, Fargo, ND. Burial: East Cemetery, Fertile, MN. Memorials may be sent to the Salvation Army.