Dennis John Rubel led the horses to the barn one last time on August 8, 2026.

A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, August 14, 2026, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Maquoketa. A visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 pm on Thursday, August 13 at Dawson Funeral Services in Maquoketa where the Rosary will be recited at 3:30 pm. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Maquoketa.

Dennis was born in Bellevue, Iowa, to Melvin and Esther (Schroeder) Rubel on January 31, 1955. He graduated from Bellevue High School and worked at Linnetronic in Bellevue and the LaMotte Sawmill. Dennis found his calling as a retail associate at Skeffington's Jack & Jill, where he worked from 1979 until its closing in 2006. After the store closed, Dennis took up his trade with Walmart in Maquoketa in 2007, where he continued working until his retirement in 2022.

Dennis was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Maquoketa, making it at the bell every Saturday night.

Dennis enjoyed many things in life, from watching WWE wrestling to making homemade rhubarb pie. He was truly a cowboy at heart, which was evident in his extensive collection of Western home décor and his treasured collection of 127 Breyer horses, which he had been collecting since he was just eight years old.

Those left to cherish Dennis's memory include his brother, Larry (Suzanne) Rubel; brother-in-law, Roger Bies; sister-in-law, Peggy Heiar; nephews, Jeremy (Brenda), Joel ( Michelle)  and Jared (Kellie) Rubel; niece, Amy Steadman; and several grandnieces and grandnephews.

Dennis was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Esther Rubel; his brother, Jim; and his sister, Barbara Bies.

The family would like to extend a special thank-you to Dennis's many dear friends, his Rosary crew, and the staff of Jackson County Hospice for the friendship, care and support they gave Dennis.

Memorials may be made in Dennis's honor to Jackson County Hospice, the Cancer Association, or the Black Hills Wild Horse Sanctuary in Edgemont, South Dakota.

Cards of condolence may be mailed to Dawson Funeral Services, Attn: Dennis Rubel Family, P.O. Box 258, Wyoming, Iowa 52362.

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