Jack H. Knudtson, 85

Jack H. Knudtson, 85, of Arlington, died Sunday, Dec. 26, 1999, at Clarkson Hospital in Omaha.

Services were Thursday, Dec. 30, 1999, at Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home in Arlington. The Rev. Tony Dawson of St. Andrew Methodist Church in Omaha officiated. A military graveside service was presented by members of the V.F.W. Post 8332 and American Legion Post 71, both of Arlington. Burial was in the Arlington Cemetery.

Jack H. Knudtson was born Aug. 8, 1914, to Guy and Jessie (Hargrave) Knudtson, in Omaha.

He was raised in Omaha and attended North High School. He received his degree in pharmacology from Creighton University in Omaha. Following graduation, he worked at a drug store at Tonoph, Nev.

Beginning in 1941, he was a trooper for the Nebraska State Patrol and lived in several communities in Nebraska, including, Kimball, Chadron and Lincoln.

He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from April 2, 1944 to Jan. 18, 1946. In 1951, he returned to the patrol and became a lieutenant in charge of criminal investigation for the eastern half of Nebraska. He opened the original crime lab in Lincoln and was one of the first lie detector experts in the Midwest.

He then moved to Gordon in 1954, and operated Knudtson Drug. In 1956, he returned to Omaha and was chief deputy sheriff for Douglas County.

In 1968, he moved to Bassett to own and operate Knudtson Pharmacy until 1973, when he moved to Arlington. He was chief probation officer for Washington, Dodge, Thurston and Burt counties until 1981. He then worked part-time at an Arlington drug store and at Walmart in Fremont until 1990.

He married Betty M. (Peterson) Knudtson in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

He was a member of the American Legion Post 71 of Arlington and a past post commander; the Fraternal Order of Eagles 200 of Fremont; and was appointed an honorary admiral in the Nebraska Navy.

He is survived by two sons and a daughter-in-law, Clive R. “Ted” Knudtson of Lincoln and Brian and Robin Knudtson of Omaha; a sister, Virginia Hawk of Bellingham, Wash.; and one grandchild.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, who died April 10, 1975; and a brother, Leo.

Memorials are suggested to the Jimmy Wilson, Jr. Foundation.

Reckmeyer-Moser Funeral Home in Arlington was in charge of arrangements.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~