Benjamin H. Kantack, 90, of Sioux Falls, died Friday, Sept. 29, 2017, at Touchmark at All Saints, in Sioux Falls.
Funeral services are at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, in Brookings. His family will receive friends from 9:30 a.m. until the time of the service at the church. Rude’s Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Benjamin H. Kantack was born on Sept. 26, 1927, in Greenleaf, Kansas, the son of Vincent and Emma (Schroll) Kantack. Ben received his bachelor of science degree from Kansas State University in Manhattan, Kansas, in 1951.
On Oct. 10, 1953, he married Frances I. Coash in Clifton, Kansas. He continued his education at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and received his master’s degree in 1954. In 1963, he received his Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska, in Lincoln, Nebraska.
After his retirement, he was named Professor Emeritus and Consulting Entomologist at South Dakota State University.
He was an active member of St. Thomas More Catholic Parish and was also active in the Brookings community, serving on the Brookings School Board and held many University and Committee memberships.
During his distinguished career he received many awards and honors including Proclamation by South Dakota Governor declaring Jan. 18, 1991, “Ben Kantack Day”, and also being inducted into the South Dakota Hall of Fame in 1998.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Frances Kantack, of Sioux Falls; his children, Mark (Marsha) Kantack of Sioux Falls, Ramona Kantack, of Pt. Isabel, Texas, Randall (Dorla) Kantack of Aberdeen, Christopher (Rene) Kantack, of Madison, Alabama, Brett (Linda Olson) Kantack, of Sioux Falls, Kelly (Ronda) Kantack of Brookings and Rebecca Kantack, of Conifer, Colorado; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren and a brother, Richard Kantack, of Jacksonville, Florida.
He was preceded in death by three sisters and eight brothers.
Condolences may be sent to the family through www.rudesfuneralhome.com.
