Mark Knutson Obituary, In Loving Memory Of Fargo Marathon Director

Mark Knutson Obituary, Death – On July 9, 2023, Mark Knutson, 53, of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, passed away. Mark Elliot Knutson was born on January 3, 1970, in Moorhead, Minnesota, to John and Sharon (Anderson) Knutson. He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1988 and went on to receive bachelor’s degrees in business administration and finance from Moorhead State University. Mark began his banking career in Fargo. In the years that followed, he worked for Tharaldson Enterprises and Ottertail Corporation.

Mark was a dreamer who pursued his dreams outside of the realms of banking and business. In 2005, he turned his love of running into the Fargo Marathon. During his 19 years as Executive Director, he grew the event from 200 to over 20,000 runners and made countless friends. He remarked that he couldn’t have done it without the help of his longtime friend Mike, the marathon committee, and all of his hardworking volunteers. He was a Double Ironman who was involved in a number of local running clubs.

Mark was a driven and inspired person. He motivated hundreds of people to run, walk, or do whatever physical activity they wanted. He had a lot of ideas and wasn’t afraid to put them into action. He pioneered various races, including the Illinois Marathon, Zorbaz Beer Run, and Friday the 13th Run, to name a few. Mark was a runner who knew what he liked and kept that in mind when organizing races.

In the spring of 2022, he moved to Detroit Lakes and quickly became General Manager at Detroit Mountain. He devoted his entire being to the mountain. He was overjoyed with what he had accomplished there. As is his wont, he already had lofty goals for what he could bring to both the mountain and the DL in the future years. He enjoyed everything about DL: his home, his job, and his surroundings. Mark placed a high value on his faith and family. His faith in God gave him the fortitude to persevere in the face of adversity. He was a devoted husband, father, son, and brother. Elena, his first granddaughter, was born in October 2022, and he adored her.

Michael (Daniel) Dantas, Carly Knutson, and Cade Knutson are his three children; his parents, John and Sharon Knutson; twin sisters, Lisa Ziegler and Lori Mehus; granddaughter, Elena Dantas; girlfriend, Donna Elbert; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins survive him. Robert Mehus, his grandpa and brother-in-law, died before him. A private family service will be held on Friday, July 14th. A public Memorial Service will be held at Hope Lutheran Church in South Fargo on Saturday, July 15, at 2:00 p.m. to commemorate and honor Mark’s life.