Rodney Lou Van Selow

Rodney Van Selow, 90

Wood Dale, IL and Plantation, FL April 27, 1934 – March 15, 2025

Are There Golf Courses in Heaven?

Rodney must be asking that very question right now, stepping up to the tee box on the lushest fairways the afterlife has to offer. We’d bet he’s already found the perfect foursome, a couple of old golf buddies, a lifelong friend, and an angel who’s been playing the game for eternity. Though, let’s be honest, Rod's probably questioning his handicap and insisting on a proper stroke count.

An entrepreneur and self-made success in a variety of businesses and real estate, he didn’t inherit greatness. He worked hard for it. He proudly served his country as a paratrooper in the 101st Airborne Division, stationed in Germany, and jumping out of planes 49 times, though there is some controversy he may have exaggerated the number by 10.

Rod lived by a simple and admirable code: Take care of who and what you love, especially his beloved wife of 45 years, Eileen, his four children, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, his friends, his neighbors, his homes, and every fairway and putting green he ever walked on. His devotion was evident in the little things. The love notes he left for Eileen on the kitchen chalkboard. The way he answered the phone with a firm, unmistakable: THIS IS ROD! The way he’d call his kids and state, "This is your father," as if they might have forgotten.

If you lived on his street, your garbage cans magically returned to your garage. His neighborhood was pristine, his Florida house impeccable (and woe to the grandkids who left it otherwise). At Buckhorn Ranch, the mobile home park he ran for decades, he was a caretaker, creating a dignified community, a place the residents were proud to call home.

Of course, golf was the great love that came second only to Eileen. Weddings, baptisms, birthdays, all scheduled around tee times. And if you weren’t playing the game right, he wasn’t afraid to let you know. If you had a tee time with Rod, on time meant ten minutes early. Show up late, and he would be halfway down the fairway because the game waits for no one, and neither did he.

As a steward of the game, he was a member of Riverside Golf Club for 52 years, serving on its Board of Directors for 27 years and dedicating himself as Director of Grounds. He also was a founding member of Lago Mar Country Club in Plantation, FL.

He surrounded himself with his own version of the Rat Pack: John T., Britt, Don Storto, Pat Roberts, Jerry Lord, John Dvorak. Naturally, Rod was the self-appointed leader, the glue that held this life-long group of friends together.

And when the round was over? You could count on Rod to keep his own set of traditions alive. No matter the restaurant, he ordered calamari, and dessert was required. A single scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce, and if you were dining with him, you’d better be ordering something sweet, too. As for salads: Ranch dressing. Always. No exceptions.

Rod’s legacy lives on through his family. Son Duke and his wife Vivian; their son Brock and wife Blair, and their daughter Lilly; and, son Tyler and wife Lexie, and their children Vee, Henry, and Mary Spady. Daughter Sheila Duda and husband Fred, and her daughters Annie Oravec and partner Aaron Williamson; and, daughter Amanda Lambert and husband Brandon Lambert, and their children Eleanor, Jacob, and Charlotte. Daughter Annie Odishoo and her children Alaina and Tommy; and son Tom Van Selow who carries forward Rod’s strength, humor, and love of the game.

So, are there golf courses in heaven? We have no doubt. And right now, Rod is walking one, in perfect stride, taking in the fairway, adjusting his grip, and nodding in approval at the immaculate greens, probably wondering if the clubhouse serves calamari and hoping they don’t skimp on the marinara.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to The Riverside Golf Club Foundation for Caddie Scholarship Fund. The family is planning a celebration of life this spring at Riverside Golf Club. Burial will be private.