1935
Jim
2024
James "Jim" Knutson
March 16, 1935 — April 3, 2024
Cave Creek, Arizona formerly of Burnsville, Minnesota
James Knutson, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather and respected attorney of law, died at age 89 at his home in Cave Creek, Arizona on April 3, 2024.
Funeral Service will be 11 AM Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at Kok Funeral Home 1201 Portland Ave.; St. Paul Park, MN with a visitation one hour prior from 10-11 AM. Interment and Military Honors will be held 9:30 AM on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, 7601 34th Ave. S.; Minneapolis, MN.
Born to Elling and Ida Knutson, Jim is survived by his wife, Linda and eight children: Jim Jr. (Cynthia) Knutson, Steve (Cindy) Knutson, Kay (Mark) Harrington, Dan (Bonnie) Knutson, Mike Knutson, Connie (Mike) Clemens, Rick Thompson, and Lori Olson. He was also loved by 22 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
At age 18 Jim was drafted into the Army and served during the Korean Conflict while stationed in Germany. Working his way through college (U of M) and law school (William Mitchel) as a young man paved the way for his successful career as an attorney for Knutson, Flynn, and Deans Law Firm. As an accomplished and brilliant speaker, he was a formidable opponent in the courtroom, including the Minnesota Supreme Court. He crisscrossed the state of Minnesota many times in his career representing various school districts and winning court cases. Jim was a strategic and skilled negotiator and worked diligently for his clients.
Jim loved music and shared his gift early on by playing piano as a child and later by playing for his children. He enjoyed many New Years' Eve events at Cragun's with his family, a Jim Beam Manhattan in his hand, whirling and twirling on the dance floor with Linda. Jim also enjoyed sports, whether it was attending football games, hockey games, or horse races. He often had a game on TV at home and was no stranger to placing bets on the winning team.
Jim shared himself with everyone around him, never holding back but giving his all to whatever he was doing. He made friends wherever he went and truly enjoyed sharing conversation with people and bringing a smile to someone's face. He could always find something funny to say and was never at a loss for words. Adept at communicating, Jim had a knack for connecting with people and having meaningful conversations that mattered. He wore his heart on his sleeve and fearlessly allowed his loved ones to see his vulnerabilities. His love of life translated to a life full of rich experiences that he shared with those around him. Although he and the love of his life enjoyed traveling the world, he was just as happy savoring the simple things in life, as long as they were together.
Funeral Service will be 11 AM Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at Kok Funeral Home 1201 Portland Ave.; St. Paul Park, MN with a visitation one hour prior from 10-11 AM. Interment and Military Honors will be held 9:30 AM on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at Ft. Snelling National Cemetery, 7601 34th Ave. S.; Minneapolis, MN.
Born to Elling and Ida Knutson, Jim is survived by his wife, Linda and eight children: Jim Jr. (Cynthia) Knutson, Steve (Cindy) Knutson, Kay (Mark) Harrington, Dan (Bonnie) Knutson, Mike Knutson, Connie (Mike) Clemens, Rick Thompson, and Lori Olson. He was also loved by 22 grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
At age 18 Jim was drafted into the Army and served during the Korean Conflict while stationed in Germany. Working his way through college (U of M) and law school (William Mitchel) as a young man paved the way for his successful career as an attorney for Knutson, Flynn, and Deans Law Firm. As an accomplished and brilliant speaker, he was a formidable opponent in the courtroom, including the Minnesota Supreme Court. He crisscrossed the state of Minnesota many times in his career representing various school districts and winning court cases. Jim was a strategic and skilled negotiator and worked diligently for his clients.
Jim loved music and shared his gift early on by playing piano as a child and later by playing for his children. He enjoyed many New Years' Eve events at Cragun's with his family, a Jim Beam Manhattan in his hand, whirling and twirling on the dance floor with Linda. Jim also enjoyed sports, whether it was attending football games, hockey games, or horse races. He often had a game on TV at home and was no stranger to placing bets on the winning team.
Jim shared himself with everyone around him, never holding back but giving his all to whatever he was doing. He made friends wherever he went and truly enjoyed sharing conversation with people and bringing a smile to someone's face. He could always find something funny to say and was never at a loss for words. Adept at communicating, Jim had a knack for connecting with people and having meaningful conversations that mattered. He wore his heart on his sleeve and fearlessly allowed his loved ones to see his vulnerabilities. His love of life translated to a life full of rich experiences that he shared with those around him. Although he and the love of his life enjoyed traveling the world, he was just as happy savoring the simple things in life, as long as they were together.
For those who would like to participate in Jim's service via livestream, you can watch the service on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 11:00 AM (CST). It can be viewed by scrolling to the bottom of this page, and "CLICK PLAY" to begin. Please leave a message of support on our Tribute Wall to let the family know you were able to watch the service. If you are having troubles with the Livestream, please accept our apologies, but the service will be available to watch later in the day.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James "Jim" Knutson, please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
10:00 - 11:00 am (Central time)
Kok Funeral Home & Cremation Service- SPP
Funeral Service
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
11:00am - 12:00 pm (Central time)
Kok Funeral Home & Cremation Service- SPP
Burial
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
9:30 - 9:45 am (Central time)
Fort Snelling National Cemetery
Guestbook
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors