An Olympia area restaurateur died Tuesday. Friends and family said goodbye Thursday night
Patrick Knutson, a longtime restaurateur who opened his first business in Federal Way but made his name in the Olympia area, died Tuesday after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer, a family member said Thursday night.
Knutson was 54, said his mother, Maria Marabella, who was one of about 100 people who attended a candlelight vigil for him at the Olympia Oyster House on Thursday.
Marabella remembered her son as someone who was compassionate, kind and helpful to everyone.
“He always had a smile on his face, he always was taking care of people and he was never concerned about himself,” she said.
Marabella, a former caterer, said her interest in food rubbed off on her children, including Patrick, who took a special interest in the restaurant business. He started out washing dishes and worked his way up, becoming a manager and then an owner, she said.
The first restaurant Knutson owned was Billy McHale’s in Federal Way, followed by Budd Bay Cafe in downtown Olympia and River’s Edge at the Tumwater Valley Golf Course. Then he and his business partners resurrected the Olympia Oyster House.
Those who attended the Oyster House vigil echoed his mother’s comments, describing Knutson as totally selfless.
“He treated everyone with kindness,” said River’s Edge employee Cameron Sigmon.
Kevin Harris of Olympia, who met Knutson through a food service distribution company, said he had known him for 20 years.
“He was a big community guy, a good family man, business man, and he focused on his people, his employees,” Harris said.
Christian Ramirez said he worked for Knutson at all three Olympia area restaurants.
“I’ll just remember how he created a family environment at work,” he said. “He kind of taught me my standards for what a good work environment is.”
Mike Hernandez, general manager and executive chef at the Oyster House, worked for him for a decade.
“He was hands down one of the best people I’ve ever met in my life,” he said, calling his death “heart-wrenching.”
“He treated me like his own child,” Hernandez said.
Asked if he would’ve worked for anyone else for a decade and he said, “Never.”
A memorial is planned, but for immediate family only, his mother said. A more public event will be planned at a later date, she said.
A Go Fund Me campaign has been launched to help the Knutson family with the cost of medical bills.
This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 5:45 AM.
