In Memoriam: Joseph L. Rubey Jr.
July 31, 1959 – May 15, 2026
May 2026
Joseph L. Rubey Jr. died on Friday, May 15, 2026, after a long battle with CNS lymphoma.
Known to many as Joe, Rubey built a career around his lifelong passion for design. He was the owner of Midnight Design Group, a full-service exhibit house based in Phoenix, Arizona.
Rubey founded Midnight Design Group in 1993. Through the company, he worked in convention facilities throughout the United States and Canada, creating booths for trade shows around the world.
Rubey studied political science at Miami University from 1977 to 1981. His family remembered him as a world traveler, comedy fan, skilled debater and lover of political science.
Outside of work, Rubey enjoyed The Late Show, stand-up comedy and 1970s soft rock. He also loved dining out, cooking at home, hot chocolate and hosting dinner parties with his wife, Dianna.
Rubey is survived by his wife, Dianna; his sons, Nicholas Rubey and his wife, Kelsey, and Emmett Rubey and his wife, Providence; two grandchildren; and an extended family of siblings, nieces, nephews and friends.
Joe Rubey’s passing is felt across his family, friends, colleagues and the tradeshow design community in which he spent much of his career.
