Teresa M. Menk, age 60, of Canby, MN, passed away Thursday, January 29, 2026 at the Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls, SD. Funeral services will be 10:30 am Friday, February 6, 2026 at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Canby, MN. Burial will be in Canby City Cemetery, Canby. Visitation will be 5 – 7 pm with a prayer service at 7 pm on Thursday, February 5, 2026 at the Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby. Visitation will resume Friday one hour prior to the service at the church. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby is entrusted with the arrangements.
Teresa (Armitage) Menk — beloved daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and faithful friend — was a woman whose love shaped generations and whose strength inspired everyone blessed to know her. Born to Joan and Sig Armitage, Teresa grew up with a heart that would one day become the steady center of her own growing family. She married Douglas Menk and had two sons, Levi and Trevor. They were the pride of her life and the reason behind so many of her smiles. Becoming a grandmother only deepened her joy — Emma, Kirsten, and Kaden were treasures to her, and she eagerly awaited the arrival of baby John Charles. Later in life, Teresa found her lifelong partner and best friend in TJ Proctor. Together they built a life filled with love, laughter, travel, and the simple happiness of time spent with their beloved “bullies,” Lizzie and Tank. In her later years, Teresa embraced life in both Arizona and New Mexico, where the wide-open skies and warm desert sun seemed to match her bright and steady spirit. She found peace in the sunshine, beauty in the landscapes, and joy in gathering family and friends around her. Whether sharing stories on a warm evening, enjoying the change of seasons, or simply sitting in the comfort of togetherness, those places became part of her heart — just as she became part of the hearts of those around her. Teresa faced life’s challenges — including difficult health obstacles — with remarkable courage, grace, and quiet determination. She did not allow hardship to define her; instead, she met it with faith, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to loving those around her. Her strength was not loud, but it was powerful. Her kindness was not small — it was abundant. She had a beautifully creative soul. Through crocheting, sewing, and her many crafts, she stitched love into everything she made. Blankets, gifts, and handmade treasures became lasting reminders of her tender heart and thoughtful spirit. She didn’t just create things — she created comfort. Teresa’s love will live on — in the strength she passed down, in the laughter that echoes through her family, in every handmade stitch wrapped around someone she cared for, and in the countless lives she touched simply by being who she was. Her legacy is not only remembered; it is carried forward in the hearts of those she loved so fiercely and so well.
Teresa is survived by her mother, Joan Armitage; her brother, Mikel Armitage; her sons, Levi (Michelle) Menk and Trevor (Zanet) Menk; her grandchildren, Emma, Kirsten, and Kaden, with baby John Charles on the way; her partner, TJ Proctor; her aunts, Diane (Al) Solting and their children; Lois Teigland and their children; her cherished nieces and nephews, Trent (Courtney) Armitage, Taylor (AJ) Kor, along with their children, Kira and Bentlee and Harley Armitage. She was preceded in death by her father, Sig Armitage; her brother, Jason Armitage; and her grandparents.
