Dennis Rupp, 88, of Harrison, Arkansas passed away Saturday, July 22, 2017.

Dennis was the son of Rev. Palmer and Katherine Rupp and was born February 21, 1929 in Waterloo, Iowa. He grew up in various towns in the Midwest as his father moved every few years to pastor different churches.

He was happily married to Berniece (Reed) from 1951 until her death in 1985. In addition to raising their kids, they were involved in many church activities. Dennis had played basketball as a teenager, and when his son Steve turned out to be tall like him, he built a basketball court in the backyard. Known as a handyman, he was constantly helping neighbors and friends with home projects and car repairs.

In 1992, Dennis was delighted when he met a widow named Fern Leonard in Phoenix where he had retired to escape the snow of Iowa winters. Before online dating, there were personal ads, and Dennis placed an ad for a Christian widow. Dennis and Fern met in January, got engaged in April and married in September. They moved to Harrison in 2013 to be near her son Paul. Dennis remained devoted to Fern for the rest of his life.

Dennis was a quiet godly man who got up at 4:30 every morning to read the Bible. He served in the Army during the Korean War and worked for the Post Office in Des Moines for more than 30 years. In recent years, he became an entertaining storyteller whose stories became more exaggerated every time he told them.

Dennis is survived by his wife of 25 years, Fern Rupp; his daughter Denise Rupp, her husband Peter Bartholome and son Frank; his son Steve Rupp, his wife Lynn and their children, Kelsey Jacobs, her husband Dexter and son Beckett; Keriann Cox and her husband Joe; and Braden Rupp; and two sisters, Dorothy Holmes and Anne Verplank.

Dennis also became family to Fern's two sons, John Leonard, his wife Leslie and their daughter Natalie; and Paul Leonard, his wife Anne, and three children, Beka Leonard; Rachel Ghareeb, her husband George and daughter Nora; and Joshua Leonard.

Services will be held Wednesday at 2:00 pm at the Red Oak Baptist Church in Harrison with Pastor Gary Crawford officiating.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to service at 1:00 pm.  Burial will take place in Iowa.