The Zahrbock Funeral Home of Madison announces the death of 86 year Irvin Kanthak who passed away on March 4, 2019 in Los Angels, CA. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, March 23, 2019 at the Zahrbock Funeral Home Chapel, Madison, MN and burial will be in St. James Catholic Cemetery. Sister Kay Fernholz will officiate at the service. Visitation will be one hour before the service on Saturday. Irvin is survived by nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Irvin “Irv” Leo Kanthak, age 86, died peacefully in Rancho Palos Verdes, California on March 4, 2019. He is predeceased by his parents, Frank and Agnes (Hoffman) Kanthak, and siblings Clarence Kanthak and Joan Blough. Surviving Irv are several nieces and nephews, as well as close friends Khalid Sami and Shahid Nazir. Irv was born in Marietta, MN on December 7, 1932 and baptized at St. James Catholic Church in Nassau, MN. He graduated from Marietta High School in 1950, after which Irv served his country in the United States Air Force, where he achieved the rank of sergeant. Irv later enrolled at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN and graduated in 1959 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. If you asked Irv Kanthak to name the one guiding principle that characterized his life, he probably would have answered “hard work.” Indeed, Irv’s focused work ethic drove him to be the first in his high school to attend college, and propelled him to build a collection of real estate holdings that grew over his lifetime. It was important to Irv that people knew of his humble beginnings. Irv grew up in the small town of Nassau, Minnesota along the South Dakota border. He had a deep love and respect for his parents, Frank and Agnes, who were the children of German immigrants. With no more than a third-grade education, Frank and Agnes owned a gas station to support their family of five. Throughout his childhood, Irv worked at the gas station and made extra money by building bicycles from spare parts. In 1955, fresh from serving his country in the Air Force, Irv attended the University of St. Thomas on the GI Bill. He excelled academically, particularly in business and accounting – often amazing his professors by solving problems in his head. A devout Catholic, Irv participated in the choir and continued to nurture his faith. After college, Irv moved to Los Angeles where he worked multiple jobs – at one point selling Colliers Encyclopedias – to save enough money to buy his first apartment complex. Over the decades, Irv lived simply and quietly, making wise investments and managing his real estate company. Blessed be his memory.