Richard E. Knutson

Richard Erling Knutson was born on June 14, 1930, in Kensett, Iowa. He was the second of four sons born to S.R. (Sever) Knutson and Esther (Rogness) Knutson. The Knutson Family moved to Le Sueur, Minnesota in 1937 and then to Hutchinson, Minnesota in 1940. Richard graduated from Hutchinson High School in 1948.

After attending Luther College in Decorah, Iowa for two years, he, along with his three brothers, enlisted in the Air Force during the Korean War. Richard received his honorable discharge in December of 1955 and immediately enrolled in the University of Minnesota to pursue a degree in electrical engineering. This degree was conferred (with honors) in June of 1958. Richard served as an engineer before his graduation on the ice cap in Greenland constructing a trail marking system for future vehicles. The crew lived a primitive life, sleeping in wagons and eating canned rations, but he felt it was a worthwhile experience.

Richard, married Arlene Shelstad of rural Appleton, Minnesota in 1957. In 1958, Richard and Arlene moved to Albuquerque, New Mexico where Richard had accepted a position as a “Member of the Technical Staff” at the Sandia National Laboratories. Richard is credited for his idea of coded switches on nuclear warheads to prevent unintended disasters. He also developed thick film hybrid electronics and was a highly regarded innovator and speaker with several awards.

While in Albuquerque, Richard and Arlene were blessed with three children (Janet, Steven and Jon). Other than his children and his work, Richard’s interests included: his church (he sang in the church choir at Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church and served in a number of official positions including the church council); aviation (he received his private pilot’s license in 1959); several BIG (really big) projects at home – such as digging a full basement under their house in Albuquerque using only a wheelbarrow and shovel; wood working; fishing; birding; rebuilding a 1925 Model T Ford; and the families’ annual trip to Minnesota to see relatives and enjoy vacation. Richard was also always telling jokes and stories and had an amazing memory. He was always the ‘life of the party’ at family gatherings.

Richard and Arlene retired to Minnesota in 1993, and he and Arlene moved to the Alexandria area where they built a home on Lobster Lake. Richard and Arlene traveled extensively during retirement, including several trips to see their daughter and family who were living in Sweden at the time. They took several additional national and international trips, including several birding adventures with their son Jon. His passion for cars and planes was shared with his son Steven.

Richard was also interested in landscaping, and he spent 10 years developing a beautiful backyard on their home in Albuquerque. The house was on a mountainside with only native vegetation when they moved in, but it became a showplace after he terraced it with many plants, including 40 varieties of roses. He continued his landscaping after moving to their lake home in Minnesota. This time the house was on a hill leading to the lake below. After many loads of rock and lots of poured concrete, again there was a beautiful backyard with numerous plants and flowers.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents and his brothers: Kenneth Knutson and David Knutson.

Richard is survived by his wife of 68 years and his three children: Janet (Knutson) Jansson and her husband Christer Jansson of Berthoud, CO; Steven Knutson and wife Laura (Rudnick) Knutson of Loveland, CO; and Jon Knutson of St. Joseph, MN. He is also survived by 7 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.