Rubelle Iona Zwald

MOUNT HOREB - The notes floated through the house. Her clear lyric soprano voice let us know all was well with the world when she sang. Rubelle Aavang Opsal Zwald always had a song in her heart. She was born on July 18, 1929, in Blue Mounds, Wis., to Alvin and Ruth (Berg) Aavang. Along with her older sister, Arlene, Rubelle attended Ruste School for her elementary education. It was there where her public singing began at the age of 5 when she performed “Red River Valley” for the school concert. She stood on a chair so the audience could see her. She studied voice during her high school years and became the featured soprano in the annual production of Handel’s Messiah for years at Perry Lutheran Church. She was the requested soloist for weddings and funerals throughout the Mount Horeb area for forty years. Rubelle graduated from Mount Horeb High School in 1947 and married Dale Opsal in 1949. The pair farmed in Blue Mounds and then rural Mount Horeb until 1968 when they moved to the village of Mount Horeb where Rubelle worked as a secretary for the Gonstead Clinic, Cook and Kalbacken Attorneys at Law, and the Ellested and Camacho Funeral Home. Together they raised five children who were the joy and delight of Rubelle’s life. She guided her children with a quiet strength that included the never compromised philosophy of “kill them with kindness.” It didn’t matter the offense, she always insisted on taking the high road of being kind and smiling when things didn’t go quite as expected. Her children learned this idea from the lyrics of the song, “A Perfect Day” which concludes: With a wish that is kind and true./ For memory has painted this perfect day with colors that never fade,/ and we find, at the end of a perfect day,/ the soul of a friend we’ve made. She sang this song while she baked, cooked, cleaned, gardened, or washed clothes in the basement. Her home was a work in progress with regular furniture rearrangements, new paint on the walls, and decorating for holidays. She had new floral arrangements for every season and always fussed with the arrangement of everything from pillows to pictures. Every corner needed a little touch of color or whimsy. She painted furniture to update the décor, reused outgrown chairs for plant holders, and made sure all the family photos were current. She loved her garden and talking and learning about plants. She shared her bounty of hostas with her children and grandchildren to enhance the shady areas of their yards. She never passed a plant without touching or fixing it in some way to enhance its beauty or ensure further blossoming by deadheading or twisting a pot to show off the plant’s best side. Her light heart and work ethic were put to use in her community. As a teenager, she guided guests through the newly opened Cave of the Mounds. She shared her love of history at the Mount Horeb Historical Society. She was a steadfast member of the Mount Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church, an active member of Faith Circle -which she still called Guild. She put her gardening skills to use with the Mound View Garden Club to brighten the sidewalks and medians around town. The growth she delighted in the most was that of her family. She loved knowing all five of her children had strong marriages, and with each new grandchild, she let her heart grow even bigger. The great-grandchildren sprouted like wildflowers in her garden. As each baby lay in her arms, she searched their faces for unique features and reminders of their ancestors. This one had her father’s cheeks, that one her sister’s chin, another bore her husband’s dreamy blue eyes. She would proudly proclaim the numbers: fourteen grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren. She loved visiting all of their houses and would offer suggestions for color or decorations by complimenting what she really liked or bringing a plant or tablecloth that always fit just right. She celebrated all the successes from kindergarten graduation to college degrees. She attended school concerts and encouraged all her children to try new things. Any worry was met with a positive response of what good could come. Her insistence on proper appearance, always looking your best, and dressing for the job you want reflected the positive attitude that was her hallmark. Even after the passing of her beloved Dale, she modeled how to create a new life and explore new things. Her marriage to Ernie Zwald in 2000 had her move out of Mount Horeb for the first time in her life. She developed close friendships in Dodgeville and enjoyed creating a new home for her and her new husband. Rubelle was preceded in death by her sister, Arlene; her parents, Ruth and Alvin Aavang; her husband, Dale Opsal; husband, Ernie Zwald; daughter, Mary Jane Niles; and great-granddaughter, Sydney Jane Kepner. She is survived by her daughters, Paulette (Phil) Emberson, Jeanette (Steve) Gerke and Betty (Tom) Herzhauser; son, Bruce (Cindy) Opsal; son-in-law, Keith Niles; her grandchildren, Michael (Jenny) Emberson, Danny (Kayla Nikula) Emberson, Sara (Dave) Kepner; Adam (Kara Morrow) Niles, Emily (Shawn) Jaenson, Peter Niles; Nicholas (Nicole) Gerke, Megan (Cory) Jensen; Zach Opsal, Tim (Lindsay Cieslik) Opsal; Joseph (Cherilyn) Herzhauser, Katherine (Brett) Tartler, Melanie (Joey) Jaime and Emma (Jayce Jackson) Herzhauser; and her great-grandchildren, Alex Emberson, Wyatt Emberson, Porter Emberson, Vivienne Kepner, Peyton Gerke, Evelina Jensen, Jamisen Jensen, Magnus Jaenson, Anders Jaenson, Elin Jaenson, Presley Niles, Harper Herzhauser, Hannah Herzhauser, Sophia Tartler, Jacob Tartler and Penelope Jaime. The family extends a heartfelt thank you to Ingleside Communities for their care and support over the years. The family thanks Agrace HospiceCare in their guidance and support. The family suggests any memorials be sent to Hospice. The funeral service will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021, at Mount Horeb Evangelical Lutheran Church, 315 E. Main St., Mount Horeb, at 11 a.m. with visitation beginning at 9:30. Interment will be at Northside Cemetery following the funeral. A Livestream of the service will be available at https://www.facebook.com/elcmthoreb. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com. Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb Funeral & Cremation Care 400 N. Eighth St. (608) 437-5077