Obituary: Wallis Knutt

Wallis Knutt, 82, of Rocklake, N.D., passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020, at the family farm south of Rocklake.

A visitation was held on Monday, Nov. 16, 2020, from 5 to 7 p.m, with a 7 p.m. prayer service at the Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home in Cando. Music at the prayer service was provided by (niece) Kim Knutt Ommen. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020, at 11 a.m. at All Nations Lutheran Church in Rocklake, with Rev. Scott Ramey officiating. Visitation took place one hour prior to the service at the church with lunch to follow in the church basement. Burial was at the Arndt Cemetery, rural Rocklake. Casket bearers were Don Halverson, Gary Larson, Bryan Knutt, Terry Carter, Brad Larson and Michael Kraft. Honorary casket bearers are Wallis's nieces and nephews. Organ music for the funeral will be provided by Carolyn Heller.

Wallis Emmet Knutt was born on March 29, 1938, in Cando, N.D., the son of Walter and Pauline (Klebaum) Knutt. He was educated in his early years in a country school near the family farm where he grew up in Virginia Township and graduated from Cando High School in 1956. While in high school, he worked for JC Penney in Cando and for several area farmers. During and after high school, he was a member of the North Dakota Army National Guard and worked on elevator construction crews, where he enjoyed the heights. He then returned to Rocklake to the family farm, working for his father. When his father and mother retired to Cando, Wallis and younger brother Ronald became partners in operating the farm. The partnership split up in 1985, and Wallis continued operating his own cattle operation, Knutt's Polled Simmentals, and grain farm. He suffered a heart attack in December of 1994, and cut back severely on the number of cattle, selling out the livestock completely at the beginning of 2001. He continued to keep his hand in farming by working for daughter Gail's husband's family farm during the harvest months until 2013.

In 1973, Wallis met Helen A. (Hartwick) Lloyd, a widowed veterinary student from the University of Minnesota, who was gaining experience at the Lake Region Veterinary Clinic in Devils Lake, N.D. Wallis asked Helen to meet for supper to discuss the findings of some lab work done on the hogs he was raising. At supper, Helen was surprised to realize they were actually on a date! They were married March 16, 1974, at the Cando Lutheran Church. They made their home on the family farm south of Rocklake. While Wallis raised cattle and farmed, Helen owned and operated the Knutt Veterinary Clinic/Hospital in Rocklake, and Knutt Satellite Clinic in Langdon. They had two children: Gail Ellen and Martha Eve (Marty).

Wallis was a hardworking man, and animals were a passion of his. Over the years, besides cattle, he also raised commercial turkeys and hogs. On a much smaller scale, he also raised Labrador Retrievers, chickens, geese, Muscovy ducks, and calico and orange farm cats. He even kept some honey bees! Later years found him putting on many miles on the back roads of the Rocklake, Brumbaugh, Crocus and Snyder Lake areas to check for any area wildlife. He had many hunting and fishing stories and adventures that included a Canada Lynx he shot near the farm in the 1960's, many deer taken in the local area, a halibut caught on an Alaskan trip he and Helen took in 2005, and a black bear harvested during a hunting trip they took to Saskatchewan, Canada, in 2009. He also enjoyed gardening and cultivated a bit of an orchard that included apple, pear, plum, and apricot trees, raspberries, and grape and blackberry vines.

One of Wallis's greatest joys were his three granddaughters. He enjoyed watching their basketball, volleyball, T-ball and softball games and archery meets. He took in as many of their music concerts, school and Sunday School plays, piano recitals, and 4-H achievement days as he could. He was always eager to share his life stories and his love of animals, plants, and hunting with them.

Wallis's faith was important to him. He was a member of All Nations Lutheran Church in Rocklake.

He was also a member of the National Rifle Association, ND Farmers Union, ND Simmental Association, the NFO, and held 2 terms on the North Central School District school board, Rocklake.

Wallis is survived by his wife Helen of Rocklake, N.D .; daughters Gail (Terry) Harder of Munich, N.D., and Marty (Curtis) Larson of New Rockford, N.D .; and granddaughters Casey June (Luke) Weston of Milwaukee, Wisc .; Coty Mae Harder of Grand Forks, N.D .; and Olivia Rose Larson of New Rockford, N.D.

Wallis was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Albert, Welton, Robert and Ronald; sister Anna Zachow; an infant brother; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Online guestbook is available at http://www.dunnigandix.com.

Dunnigan-Dix Funeral Home of Cando, N.D. is in charge of arrangements.