Alton “Al” Fredrick Knutson was born April 12, 1944, in Bremerton, WA, to Fritz and Loretta (Mattson) Knutson. At the age of two his family moved back to Minnesota where they lived on a couple of farms in rural Minnesota that didn’t have electricity or indoor plumbing. When he was in the 1^st grade, his parents moved to Minneapolis. In 1962 he graduated from Marshall High School. He then continued his education at the University of Minnesota, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. He was also in ROTC and commissioned as a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Signal Corp. Al served two years of active duty, including one year in Saigon, during the Vietnam War. After serving his country, Al started his civilian career as an accountant. In 1991 he received his master’s degree in business administration from Keller Graduate School in Chicago. He also graduated from the US Army Command and General Staff College in 1984. He retired from the Army Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel.

On May 5, 1984, he married Carolyn Carlson at Grace Community Church in Golden Valley, Minnesota. They were married for almost 42 years. They lived for 11 years in Illinois, where Al was the head budget analyst for the Army Reserves. They returned to Minnesota in 1995, where he continued his service for the Army until retirement in 2007. He also spent 14 years doing taxes for seniors in the Wright County area.

Al enjoyed skiing, writing, and spending time with his family – especially his nieces and nephews. He lived his life in service of the Lord and others. He was a kind-hearted, generous man who cared deeply for his friends and family.

Al is survived by his wife Carolyn, brother Kendal (Elayne); nieces and nephews Sarah (Jaime), Janel, Jennifer (Seth) Kurt (Tricya), Jerome, Gabriel, Krystal, Kyra, Madison (Nick), Samantha (Wil), Mason, and Carl; great-nephew Leo; brother-in-law Harvey; and many dear friends. He is preceded in death by his parents; father-in-law Carl; mother-in-law Avis; sister-in-law Nancy, and many dear relatives.

A memorial service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the Redemption Hill Bible Church in Delano, Minnesota. A gathering of family and friends will be held prior from 10-11 AM. A luncheon will immediately follow the service. Inurnment at a later date in Lone Star Cemetery, Beltrami, Minnesota.

The service will be live-streamed on the Iten Funeral Home Youtube page, and a link will be provided below.