Samuel J. "Sam" Menk, age 61, of Hondo went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, Mar. 3, 2009, in San Antonio. He was born July 26, 1947, in Castroville. Sam was preceded in death by his parents, Daniel and Avonne "Bonnie" Menk; grandparents, Fred and Frieda Menk and Oscar and Lorainne Etter; and uncle, Frede Menk. He is survived by his wife, Penny (Grunewald) Menk; sons and daughters-in-law, David and Kathy Menk of Schertz and Michael and Nikki Menk of McQueeney; three granddaughters and spouses, Shawnna and Lonnie, Jenafer and Jacob, Alicia and Stan; six great-grandchildren, Jacey, Zachery, Alyssa, Michaela, Ty and Caydin, all of McQueeney; mother- and father-in-law, Edna Lee and Vernon Grunewald of Hondo; sister and brother-in-law, Dancy and Lloyd Tschirhart of Castroville; three nephews and spouses, Ted and Rene, Jody and Anneke, and Clint Tschirhart, all of Castroville; and aunt, Ruth Menk of San Antonio. Sam was reared on a farm outside of Hondo and attended Hondo schools. He attended Draughn's Business College and became an electonics technician. He owned "Electronics Devices," with television shops in Converse, Castroville and Hondo. He later moved and went to work for Orkin and became the "Bug Man" on their TV commercials. Moving back to Hondo, he went to work for Doss Aviation. He loved to work with his hands, so he became "Handy Man" and went into building and remodeling. A one-room addition he built in Bandera was turned into a business. He loved to work with wood and, after watching a man refinish an antique, he asked him to teach him, to which the response was "go to school to learn." Instead, he opened "The Furniture Barn" in Castroville and taught himself. Upon seeing his work, even people from out of state brought furniture to be done. After several years, he had a reaction to the toxic chemicals he was using and had to quit. He studied alternative medicine, learned the herbs and attended Abba Institute. Upon completing college, he became a naturopathic doctor (ND) and was listed with the National Association of Naturopathic Physicians. He helped many people with medical problems and diseases. Although somewhat of a loner, Sam was one who always helped anyone who asked. As a jack-of-all-trades, he accomplished what he intended and became a master of many. He had a special gift in being able to accomplish what he set out to do (a gift everyone has, if they strive to learn how to use it). Sam and Penny were married 26 - or 44 - or 45 years this year, depending upon which anniversary you ask about. They had been divorced a year and a half when God put them back together on Feb. 14, 1983 - perhaps God figured no one else could put up with either of them. Funeral service will be held Saturday, Mar. 7, 2 p.m., at the Guinn-Horger Chapel. Pallbearers are Randy Gastinger, Kelly Workman, Mark Mitchell, Ted Tschirhart, Jody Tschirhart and Clint Tschirhart.Interment will be at Hondo Cemetery, Oakwood Section.