Robert Emmett Kanthak, 91, a resident of Pawling for over 20 years, passed away at The Grand at Pawling, Saturday, July 9, 2016.
Born in Chicago, IL on May 9, 1925, he was the son of Emil and Cecelia (Maloney) Kanthak. Bob grew up in Chicago and worked part-time at his father’s bakery, helping make the bread early in the morning before he went to school. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1943 and served as a radarman while on the USS Barton, the USS Vincennes, and the USS Vicksburg, before being discharged in 1946. While in the navy, Bob received 8 bronze stars.
He met Lois Irene Kime while she and her sister, Margie, were attending the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, and living at Bob’s parents’ boarding house. He married her in Canton, OH on June 26, 1948; Lois predeceased him on May 30, 2007.
Bob worked as a chemist for a rubber products company in Chicago, and later relocated to Indiana. During his time in Indiana, Bob became a minister and preached in several small towns, including Goblesville, Green Center, Liberty Mills, and Roanoke. While continuing to work as a chemist, it was that occupation that brought him and his family to New York in 1967, where he worked at Pawling Rubber in Pawling. He eventually retired from the rubber company and continued preaching in New York; “Pastor Bob” preached in Holmes, Bangall, Chatham, Kenoza Lake, Margaretville, Quarryville, High Hill, and Phoenicia, and finally retired after 33 years in the ministry.
Bob loved doing ceramics and he shared his passion by giving lessons when he lived in Pleasant Valley. He operated a ceramic shop called Lo-Bob Ceramics in Windham, NY when he lived in South Cario, and another in Pine Plains when they moved there.
Bob was member of the Hasler-Kamp Post American Legion and a former member of the Masons and the Eastern Star.
In addition to his wife, Lois, he is predeceased by his brother, Herbert Kanthak.
Survivors include his son Robert Douglas Kanthak and his wife Jane of Spring Hill, FL and Poughquag, NY; his daughter, Deborah Thomes and her husband John of Pawling; six grandchildren, Sara Guilbeault and her husband Mike, of Brookfield, CT, Robert Kanthak, Jr. of Wappingers Falls, Angela Thomes-Klug and her husband Dan of New Hope, PA, Timothy Kanthak and his wife Michele, of Wappingers Falls, Shaun Thomes of Pawling, and Thomas Kanthak and his wife Angela, of Poughquag; and ten great-grandchildren, Brittany & Briana Kanthak, Matthew & Meghan Guilbeault, Claire & Sarah Thomes-Klug, Timothy Kanthak, Jr, and Thomas Jr, Salvatore, and Sophia Kanthak.
Family and friends may call at the Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home, 83 East Main Street, Pawling Friday, July 15th 6-9 PM. Hasler-Kamp Post American Legion will conduct a service at 6 PM and the Oblong Lodge F & AM will have a service at 6:16. A funeral service will be conducted at the funeral home Saturday at 11 AM; burial will follow in Quaker Hill Cemetery, Pawling.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 75817, Topeka, KS 66675 or the Dutchess County SPCA, 636 Violet Avenue, Poughkeepsie, NY 12538.
To leave an online condolence, please visit www.hornandthomesfuneralhome.com.
