Dennis Mart

Dennis Edward Mart, 81, passed away on January 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Iowa. Services for Dennis will be Monday, March 3, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Knoxville (corner of W. Main and Harlan St. new location). A visitation will be held prior to the service beginning 9:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Graceful Horizon to help raise money towards an Adult Daycare Program. Interment will be at the Graceland Cemetery following the service.
Dennis Mart was born on September 28, 1943, in Knoxville, IA. Dennis started working in 1968, his senior year, for Knoxville Regional Livestock Auction at the Marion County Fairground. Park Bingley owned and operated the facility until 1984 when it was sold to the City of Knoxville. Dennis continued to work there until 2007 when he retired after 39 dedicated years. Dennis lived in the same house all of his life- first in the town of Red Rock, then on East Pleasant St. in Knoxville after relocating it. He loved his house very much and took pride in cleaning it daily; always making sure it looked nice and paying very close attention to detail when doing so. After retiring in 2007, Dennis met his best friend, Francis Rankin. He was good about getting Francis to all of her appointments because she never drove. He ate dinner with her every night until she passed in 2015. They enjoyed big plates of food together- especially for Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Every night he would leave once the 10 p.m. news was over, but if there was a football game that night, Francis would kick him out early because he liked football but she didn't. Dennis loved hanging out at the senior center, and then after, going to "people watch" at Brenton Bank, which later became Wells Fargo in 2000. Something interesting about Dennis was that he did not ever drive across the mile long bridge! On December 24th, 2023, Dennis moved into Westridge Nursing Home. He passed away here on January 29th, 2025, at the age of 81. He was preceded in death by his mother, Ruth; best friend, Francis Rankin; friend, Dameon Larson; along with aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Dennis will be greatly missed by his cousins; and special friends including Brian and Shelly Braley; Alexandra Thomas; Rick and Joni Rankin and children Shawna Rankin, Austin Rankin and Kelsi Ripper; Jeff Larson and children Ashley Klein, Alex, Chase and Marley Larson.