Dean Loren Knutson, 64, Mitchell, SD, died on November 28, 2018 at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. Dean's passing was sudden and unexpected as a result of bacterial meningitis. A Celebration of Life will be 2:00 PM Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the Lake House Restaurant (2700 N. Main Street, Mitchell, SD).

Dean was born in Minot, ND, on September 17, 1954 to Ernest and Greta (Grindberg) Knutson. He was raised on the family farm in Kongsberg, ND where he attended a one-room school house. In 1968 his family moved to Velva, ND where he went to high school.

Dean was united in marriage with Kimberly Degenstein on March 13, 1982 in Velva, ND. They welcomed their first daughter, LeAnn, in March 1983. At the time, Dean worked construction which moved them from ND to North Carolina where in November 1984 they became a family of four when their second daughter, Mallory, was born.  In 1985, they moved to Texas.

They returned to ND in 1986 where Dean worked with has Dad doing home construction, and later for Souris River Telephone before enrolling in school at NDSCS in Wahpeton, ND in 1990.  In 1991 they moved to Mitchell, SD where he graduated from the Satellite Communications program at Mitchell Technical Institute. After graduation, they moved to Pierre, SD where Dean worked for the State of SD. In 1997, they moved back to Mitchell where Dean was an instructor in the Satellite Communications program at Mitchell Technical Institute. Because Dean was an ambitious man who liked to challenge himself, he went to work for Martin Group/CHR Solutions in 2005 as a Technical Support Specialist and then in 2010 Dean became Owner/Operator of a successful Matco Tools franchise. In 2018 he closed his business to become a District Manager with Matco Tools. He was very excited about this new opportunity.

The light of Dean's life was his family. Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Kim, Mitchell; his daughters LeAnn (Brian) Kerin and Mallory Knutson (Brent Imhoff), all of Ft. Collins, CO. Dean also has two grandchildren who brought him endless joy. His 3.5-year-old grandson, James Dean, shares Dean's name as well as his love of cars, trucks, puzzles, hats, and books. His 1-year-old granddaughter, Pepper Jean, shares Dean's birthday. He was a very proud grandpa! Dean is also survived by his sister Gale Knutson, brother Ward Knutson (both of Bismarck); brothers-in-law Mike Tanner (Mandan), Lenny (Danielle) Degenstein (Pierre), Carey Degenstein (Mitchell); sister-in-law Marcia Degenstein, and mother-in-law Dora Degenstein both of Fargo, ND, and many nieces and nephews.

Dean is preceded in death by his parents, Ernest and Greta Knutson; his grandparents; three brothers, Gary, Boyd, and Neal; his sister Laurie (Trinneer) Tanner; four nephews -- Casey Knutson, Joshua Kerzman, Jamie Trinneer, and Jason Kerzman; two brothers-in-law, John Kerzman and Charles (Butch) Trinneer; and his father-in-law Clem Degenstein.

Memorials for Dean will be directed to The Infinite Hero Foundation and MTI Foundation.