Dennis Xuereb

XUEREB, Dennis, retired obstetrician and gynecologist, aged 75, passed away on Wednesday, May 22, 2019 at Clarissa C. Cook Hospice House, Bettendorf, after a short, aggressive illness.

Dennis was a native of Malta where he was born on May 20, 1944, the eldest of three children.  He attended Montessori elementary school, followed by high school at The Lyceum, an all-boys state-run school, and then the Royal University of Malta, where he studied medicine.  He graduated M.D. in 1967.  In 1968 he married Monica Mallia, his girlfriend of many years.  A year later they immigrated to Ontario, Canada, where Dennis pursued a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Queen’s University in Kingston, graduating FRCSC in 1973.  Dennis, his wife and their two eldest children, Marc and Michelle, then moved to Toronto where Dennis ran a private practice for 20 years.  The couple’s youngest child, Steven, was born in 1975.  Dennis obtained his US Board Certification Ob/Gyn in 1984.  In 1992 the marriage was dissolved and Dennis moved to Davenport, Iowa where he was employed at the Maternal Health Center (later renamed after Dr. D. Edgerton) until 2005.  He enjoyed taking care of patients irrespective of their means.  He also took on teaching responsibilities for family practice residents and obstetrics residents of the University of Iowa, as well as midwives.  From 2005 he practiced in Muscatine, Iowa until his retirement in 2008.

In 1996 Dennis married Patrice May, a nurse at MHC and later a day surgery center in Davenport.

Dennis was predeceased by his parents and his younger brother, Anton. He leaves behind his wife, Patrice, her two daughters, Melissa and Katie (Matt), his three adult children, Marc (Fiona), Michelle (Sean), and Steven (Nezahat), his sister MaryRose, his grandchildren, Silas, Hazel, Marley, Roman, Kylie, Miral, and Malik and an extensive network of family and friends in many continents.

In retirement, he followed international soccer avidly and kept himself in contact with his many friends both locally and overseas.  He and Patrice enjoyed travel and time with their grandchildren.  Dennis became more active within his parish of St. Anthony in Davenport and helped establish and co-facilitate a Grief Support Group.  In his last days, he made sure that all around him understood that he bore nobody any ill.  He was happy with his life and at peace with himself and his creator.

Visitation will be Monday, May 27, 2019 from 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Halligan McCabe DeVries Funeral Home in Davenport. A Memorial Mass celebrating Dennis’s life will be held at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, May 28, 2019.  A reception will follow at St. Anthony's in the gathering space. No flowers by request but donations to the Vera French Foundation and/or McAnthony Window at St. Anthony’s would be appreciated.

Online remembrances may be expressed at www.hmdfuneralhome.com.