Rudy Van Fleet age 87, passed away Saturday, January 19, 2019 at Agrace Hospice in Fitchburg. Rudy was born on May 25, 1931 to Duane and Gladys (Ewing) Van Fleet in the Town of Forest, Richland County, Wisconsin. He graduated from the U-W Platteville and the U-W Madison. He played basketball at Platteville and was later inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame as well as the Wisconsin Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Rudy was married to Nancy Hughes on June 20, 1953. He farmed near Viola, Wisconsin and later taught vocational agriculture at Ithaca High School and Columbus High School Rudy spent 26 years with the University of Wisconsin Extension as a farm management agent in Columbia County. In later years, Rudy and Nancy traveled extensively around the United States and Europe. Rudy passionately took up pitching horseshoes in his retirement and became the secretary treasurer of the Deansville Horseshoe Club. He was inducted into the Wisconsin Horseshoe Pitchers Association Hall of Fame in 2015. Even on evenings when pitching didn't go so well, Nancy would ask "But did you have a good time?' When Rudy would answer that he did, Nancy would reply, "Then that's what matters." Survivors include his two sons Jeffrey of Columbus, Randy (Cara) of Muskego; his four daughters Tracey (Rob) Riegert of West Allis, Robin (Tom) Bergan of Waterloo, Heidi (Mark) Callesen of Phoenix, Molly (Fotis) Tlas of Minneapolis; three grandchildren Jacob (Abigail) of Waukesha, Alexandra of Milwaukee and Julia of La Crosse. Rudy was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Nancy in 2015; one sister, Joan in 2011. Funeral services were held at 11 A.M., with visitation beginning at 9:30 A.M. on Saturday, January 26, 2019 at JENSEN FUNERAL & CREMATION in Columbus, Chaplain Ken Heinritz officiated. Interment was in Hillside Cemetery in Columbus. The family would like to thank the staff at the Columbus Community Hospital, Palliative Care Unit at the University Hospital and Agrace Hospice for their loving care. A very special thanks to family friend Dobie Gutweiler whose help and support made the past several weeks so much easier. Memorials may be directed to Agrace Hospice Care.