Joseph "Joe" Dubrule

LYONS - Joseph "Joe" Dubrule, 88, took his leave from this world on November 6, 2025. His daughter Danielle was by his side.

Joseph was born prematurely on March 29, 1937 in Ogdensburg, N.Y., as his home town (Prescott, Ontario) did not have a hospital. The Dubrule family ran a ferry boat that was the main mode of transportation between Prescott and Ogdensburg prior to the construction of a bridge in the 1960s. He was the second child of Catherine Tobin and the Honorable Judge William Mossman "Moss" Dubrule.

Joe was sickly as a young child, but his sister Barbara recalls that he grew into a handsome young man who once had two girls fighting on the ground over him in high school. Once safely removed from the struggles of romantic teenage conflict, Joe went on to earn a degree in Industrial Distribution from Clarkson University.

Joe's first job was for the Jeffrey Webb mine in Asbestos, Quebec (where the company provided monthly x-rays). He and his first wife moved to the United States in 1963 where he worked for Corning Glass. They later moved to Auburn with their two young children, Chris and Danielle, and Joe went to work for Phillips/Sylvania.

There, Joe met Judy Bond, and in 1977 they married and blended their families into a household of love, laughter, good cooking and teenage shenanigans. Joe eventually became the plant engineer at Phillips and when the Seneca Falls plant closed, Joe was asked to manage their Ohio facility. Joe and Judy were never fond of Ohio after loving the beauty of the Finger Lakes region, and they happily returned in 1987 when Joe became the plant engineer at Zotos International, where he remained until his retirement in 1999.

Joe was always mechanically inclined. As a youngster he once bought an engine, which he took apart and put back together. He taught himself to weld, earning a job at the local machine shop, where he proved so skilled that he found himself in charge of a project directing the father of a school friend. Joe could build or fix just about anything. His daughter Danielle put him to the test with multiple car mishaps that he always seemed able to fix (perhaps after heavy swearing).

He earned his pilot's license and his first solo flight earned a charm on a bracelet. He once took Chris and Danielle for a plane ride over their house in Auburn. Joe loved the ocean, frequently visiting Cape May, NJ and Chincoteague, VA. He drove a motorcycle for a period and enjoyed staying active with jogging and a ski machine; he even rode an indoor bike until fairly recently.

As befits a son of Canada, Joe taught himself to make maple syrup and enjoyed showing his grandson, Tim, how to do so. He loved poetry and his well-read copy of Robert Service poems was always found next to his chair. Joe and Judy enjoyed many concerts together.

Above all else, Joe had a fabulous sense of humor. He had a natural talent for making people laugh with his facial expressions, notable sayings and quick wit. To be in his presence meant you were assured heavy doses of laughter. He had a deep love of animals and critters seemed to return the love in kind, and he didn't even mind when a stray dog or raccoon happened to come in through the cat door for a visit. Some of his favorite pets were dogs King and Bridget, as well as Dusty the cat.

Joe was a thoughtful listener who offered good solutions to nearly any problem you might encounter, and could provide valuable insight and wisdom without taking himself too seriously. He was a loving friend, father and husband, and cared for his wife Judy when she became ill. He made friends everywhere he went, including roommates he made in various hospital stays who consistently said they "loved" Joe. To know Joe Dubrule was to have your life enriched by him. He will be sorely missed.

Joe is survived by daughter Danielle Dubrule (Michael Charbonneau); stepdaughters Penny Beck, Pam Socia (Jeff) and Patti Beck; sister Barbara Dubrule; and grandson Timothy Charbonneau.

He was predeceased by his son, Christopher Dubrule, in 1995; wife Judy in 2016; Danielle and Chris's mother, Helen Daniel, in 2018; and grandson Brian Roche in 2020.

A celebration of Joe's life will be 12:00 p.m. Saturday November 29 Coe-Genung Funeral Home at 46 W. Main St., Waterloo, N.Y. with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Fetch a Friend Rescue, 92 Garden St., Seneca Falls, N.Y. 13148 or Hospicare, 172 E. King Rd. Ithaca N.Y. 14850, where Joe spent his last days.

Even in his final weeks, Joe kept hospital staff laughing and never failed to say "Thank you very much." His funny, sweet and loving character remained as his body gave way. Joe hoped to "catch the last bus to heaven," where surely he will have them laughing.

Condolences and remembrances may be sent to www.coegenungfuneralhome.com