Madelon Muller Rubens

1941 - 2024

Madelon Muller Rubens, passed away on November 27, 2024, in Tucson, Arizona, surrounded by her loving family. She is survived by her husband, Alan Bruce Rubens, her children, Nick Muller, Sarah Muller Dick, and Alexandra Muller Arboleda, her stepchildren, Deborah Rubens, and Michael Rubens, her brother, Mike Martin, and her sister, Marilynn McMillan, as well as her many adoring grandchildren, James Dick, Alex Soran, Ned Muller, Gordon Dick, Isabel Arboleda, Nico Arboleda, Minya Rubens, and her great-grand-daughter Mylah Dick.

Madelon Camille Martin was born on August 24, 1941 to Eldon and Eleanor Martin of Wilmette. She attended Skidmore College and graduated in 1964 with a degree in English Literature. Madelon married Ned Muller, a creative writer and former Chairman of the University of AZ Political Science Dept., who passed away on June 3, 1995. Madelon's primary joy was raising their three children. She also taught English for 16 years at Santa Rita High School in Tucson, and she taught writing at the Southern Arizona Writer's Workshop.

Madelon married Alan Rubens on January 15, 1995 in Tucson, where together they raised their blended family of five children, Nick, Debbie, Sarah, Mike, and Ali. Alan, former Chairman of the Dept. of Neurology at University of AZ Medical Center, and Madelon spent 30 happy years together raising their children and grandchildren, attending their grandkid's sporting events, having dinner parties for their many friends, and attending local arts and music events. Madelon and Alan were loyal Tucson Symphony, Rogue Theater, and UA Wildcats supporters.

As an English Literature lover, Madelon enjoyed spending her free time curled up with a book and regularly attended two book clubs, fiction and non-fiction. When she wasn't reading, you might find her attending film festivals at the Loft Cinema. With an adventurous spirit, Madelon also loved attending weekly Spanish conversation classes. Each year, she studied and lived abroad in Mexico until she was 80 years old.

The Rincon and Catalina Mountains of Tucson were Madelon's inspiration, and she could often be found hiking there with her friends. But her fondest passion was horseback riding. As a young girl, she always dreamed of having a horse, and Madelon's wish came true when she got her Arabian horse, Rafilly. She and Rafilly spent more than twenty years riding the trails on the east side of Tucson, where she worked for decades as a volunteer park ranger on mounted patrol at Saguaro National Park.

Madelon was a constant ray of sunshine, always full of joy, for anyone who was touched by her presence, but especially her family and friends. Her fun-loving nature and zest for life was contagious.

A Celebration of Madelon's Life will be held on Sunday, December 15th at 11:00 a.m. at East Lawn Palms Mortuary and Cemetery, 5801 East Grant Road, Tucson, AZ 85712.

Please consider making a donation in her memory to Casa Maria Soup Kitchen (casamariatucson.org/donate) where she regularly volunteered feeding the hungry, Friends of Saguaro National Park (friendsofsaguaro.org), where she was a volunteer park ranger for nearly 30 years. Please indicate that your donation is in memory of or a tribute to Madelon Muller Rubens.