Dennis Dean Hemphill, the beloved son of Melvin Stanley Hemphill and Guinevere Nadine Lembke, was born near Griswold Cemetery in Pottawattamie County. As a child, his family moved to the Jack Rogers farm southwest of Griswold, where he lived until marrying the love of his life, Ruth Rush-Johnston, on September 14, 1978, at the Central Church of Christ in Griswold, IA. His heart was big enough to include two teenage daughters, Peggy and Leslie Johnston, whom he loved and was extremely proud of.
Dennis was blessed with five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. The joy of his life was the many trips to Red Oak and the McDonald’s playground, annual tours of Baird’s Christmas lights, or visits to McCready’s John Deere store for toys. He seldom missed a game or activity. As they grew, he would boast of their many accomplishments, sharing stories whether you liked it or not. Even as his memory faded, his eyes would light up with each visit from his great-great-grandchildren.
He began kindergarten at Griswold School and attended until high school, where his passion for farming outweighed the need for formal education. Dennis and Ruth traveled extensively across the Midwest, attending their grandchildren’s games, following NHRA drag racing, and the NTPA tractor pull circuit. After their first winter trip to Arizona in 1980, they were hooked and continued to winter there until 2022.
As dementia took hold, they moved to the Omaha area, where he resided until his passing on April 5, 2026, at Lakeside Village. Dennis was a man of deep faith, known only to a few. Until his mind began to fail, he regularly attended both the Elliott Church of Hope in Elliott and the Broadway Christian Church in Mesa, AZ.
He spent many hours with his coffee buddies at Casey’s and the Tiger Mart while in Griswold. Retiring from farming in 2013 allowed for eight months in Arizona, where you would find him either walking at the mall or having coffee at the Little Mesa Cafe.
Dennis was predeceased by his father, mother, and brother Melvin ‘Stanley’ Hemphill. He is survived by his wife Ruth, daughter Peggy Henry and husband John of Plattsmouth, NE, daughter Leslie Weaver and husband Craig of Overland Park, KS, five grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren aged 2-13 years old.
A graveside service for Dennis will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026, at 3:00 PM, at the Oaklawn Cemetery in Oakland, IA. A Celebration of Life Visitation will be held on Friday, April 17, 2026, from 5:30 PM until 7:30 PM, at the Griswold Community Building in Griswold, IA. Rieken Duhn Funeral Home in Griswold is assisting the family.
