Richard Albert Knutson ’59

Richard Albert Knutson ’59 passed away on September 30, 2013, with his children at his side after struggling with colon cancer. He was born in Schenectady, New York, and raised in Renton, Washington, entering Dartmouth from Renton High School, where he earned honors, was editor of the yearbook and played football. At Dartmouth Dick was a brother of Chi Phi and a history major. He also participated in the DOC for four years, Winter Carnival and WDCR. His freshman year, he was on the crew. After he served in the U.S. Army he spent years in San Francisco, where he immersed himself in medical research and further developed his passion for medicine. He attended New York Medical College. After his residency in orthopedic surgery he moved to Greenville, Mississippi, as the Delta’s orthopedic surgeon. “Doc” was well known for his work specializing in wound care and for his topical formulation, Sugardyne. He enjoyed taking his children to see the country and sharing his appreciation of history and nature. In retirement he continued his work on wound care and developed a love for woodworking. Dick’s daughter Alison can “vividly remember” her father reciting the class poem from memory from a previous reunion. His best laughs came from those memories at Dartmouth. Alison says that the first time she saw her father cry was when he saw the bust of Daniel Webster at the U.S. Capitol. Two brothers, six children and eight grandchildren survive Dick.