Obituary of Roger C Rude

Roger Carl Rude, age 75, died and entered His Savior’s loving arms on Sunday, June 4, 2023.

Born at Stoughton Hospital on May 6, 1948, he was the third child of Carl & Erna A. Rude.

Baptized and later confirmed on Pentecost,1962, at East Koshkonong Church, he grew up on his parents’ farm/sand & gravel business and attended Cambridge Public Schools graduating in 1966. Starting at UW-Platteville, he transferred to UW-Madison and finished with a degree in Engineering Mechanics in 1971. He was employed for over 30 years at Crepaco in Lake Mills operating a metal lathe. He enjoyed raising beef cattle and cropping hay, corn, & sorghum in his younger years. When Roger was in his forties he began his battle with kidney disease. In 1994 he had his first transplant at UW Hospitals with a younger sibling as the donor. In 1995 he purchased the family farm from his mother and cared for the land until he died.

Roger served on the Town of Oakland board and was appointed to the Lake Ripley management committee.     

He actively worshipped and participated at Abiding Shepherd Lutheran Church in Cottage Grove. Reading, praying and studying his Bible each day was important to him and he rarely passed up a chance to share his faith and thoughts with others whether at a medical visit, the Coffee Cup in Stoughton, euchre time at church, or at countless family gatherings. He enjoyed going to tractor pulls, auctions and walking outdoors. Many hours were spent down in the shop working on tractors, his grader, and keeping his machinery in good running order. Roger would tell us to keep moving, pick rocks now and then, and walk….with Jesus by our side.   

He was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother-in-law, Chuck Maurer.

He is survived by his four sisters and three brothers-in-law,  Ann (Dean) Zickert, Jane (Bill) Sayre, Sally (John) Bertelson, and Lynn Maurer; nieces and nephews,  Janet Sayre (Rob) Reinhoffer, Jenni (George Heck) Zickert, Brian Sayre, Kris (Travis Giobbi) Zickert, Ryan Bertelson, and Dan (Kristi) Bertelson; great nieces and nephews,  Alison, Ava, & Jack Reinhoffer, Billy and Dan Sayre, Violet, Celia and Chase Bertelson; and numerous loving cousins and friends.

A Celebration of Roger’s Life service will be held at 11AM on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at Abiding Shepherd Lutheran Church, 406 W. Cottage Grove Rd., Cottage Grove, WI 53527, with Pastor Nathan Krause officiating. Visitation will be held from 9:30AM until the time of service.  A luncheon will follow the service at Doubledays (4586 Baxter Rd. Cottage Grove). Inurnment of Roger’s ashes will be at East Koshkonong cemetery at a later date.

Memorials may be given to a charity of your choice.

The family would like to give special thanks to the staff at Autumn Winds and Rainbow Hospice for their exceptional care.