Rachel Ellen Hungary

Rachel Ellen Hungary, Honouute' - Water Lily, (71) passed away peacefully May 13th 2025 at the Davis Hospice Center, Cheyenne, Wyoming. Rachel resided in Sheridan WY.

Rachel was born on April 1st 1954 in Bishop, California to Vernon Sr. and Alma (Smith) Hungary. Rachel spent her early life in Lone Pine and Bakersfield, California and attended schools in these two towns, as well as Sherman Indian School in Riverside, California. Rachel enjoyed playing sports (softball) with her sisters and friends. Rachel was also Dad's Helper, when he worked on the family cars. Rachel had a bright, bubbly personality and had a lot of fun playing jokes on her siblings. Rachel had an adventurous spirit that led her to traveling, working for some time with a carnival traveling through the West. Later she moved to Los Angeles, California where she had a variety of jobs, including factory work and bartending. Rachel had three children but only had a short time to enjoy taking care of them. Rachel lived in Los Angeles for many years later she returned to Bakersfield where she was the 'Fun Auntie', making many memories for her nieces and nephews the best of them being taking the kids for rides in her van cruising and singing 'Elvira' (Oak Ridge Boys) at the top of their lungs buying them candy!

Rachel's upbringing in Bakersfield fostered a lifelong love of country music with particular favorite artists being Charlie Pride, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash and Merle Haggard as well as Oak Ridge Boys. She accumulated a collection of hundreds of country music CDs. When Rachel moved into a group home she socialized with fellow residents and staff, and was known for her anecdotes and history of country music and musicians. Karaoke was a favorite activity she sang Diana Ross and the Supremes and did their dance moves as well. Before she moved into the group home she traveled to Wyoming and Wisconsin for long-term visits with family and relatives Rachel was a Rolling Stone and a Tumbling Tumbleweed dropping in and just as quickly moving on.

20 years ago she entered a group home system living in Gillette and Sheridan Wyoming she expressed gratitude for the structured living and therapy she received through it she earned the respect of her peers for her honesty and her ability to give good advice show sympathy and compassion also for her determination and willingness to help others Rachel found a love for the outdoors and outdoor activities she enjoyed camping and especially being at the lake where she discovered a great liking for kayaking even though she couldn't swim she just made sure she was wearing a life vest every time. Rachel loved reading current events and nature. Rachel had an affinity for animals, for dogs and a particular bunny and a young deer who she said visited her and comfort her when she was sorrowful. But her favorite thing to do was BOSS her five sisters! Rachel loved her many nieces and nephews and their children she was the biggest cheerleader and was always appreciative of phone calls and cards from them she always encouraged them advise them to never give up on themselves she used her own life experiences as lessons in perseverance to attain goals Rachel was very proud of her 20-plus years of sobriety and told all of them you can do it too don't give up her sisters all agree that she is the glue that holds us together, always encouraging us to stick together and support each other. Many phone conversations resulted because Rachel ordered one of the sisters to 'just call her' when we hadn't spoken in a while. Rachel overcame a lot of pain and adversity in her life but she never quit on her dreams and she never gave up on us thank you sister, may you be happy forever.

Rachel's large family include her daughter, Alma Lorraine Hungary (AKA) Terry Mendoza of Alameda California; 2 sons; 4 grandchildren; sisters, Joan Zucco, April Hungary, Charlotte Echeveria of California, Rhoda Anderson of Wyoming and Marian Blackdeer of Wisconsin; nieces, Eva Duarte of Utah, Salina Anderson, Vicky (Juan) Garcia, Virginia (Andrew) Hernandez, Serena (Michael) Biazza of California, Jessica Villarreal, Devonne (Jose) Valdez of Washington; nephews, John Duarte, Ruben (Adrianne) Duarte, Frederick (Ophelia) Duarte of California, Andrew (Lisa) Duarte of Nevada, Robert Anderson, Ivan Anderson, Ruben Echavarria, Vernon Echavarria of California, Keith Blackdeer, Lance (Angela) Blackdeer of Wisconsin; grandparents; John Hungary & Edith Tyler, John later married Olive Nason, Frank & Marian Button Smith; the families of Friday, Whiteman, Whiteplume, Headley, Willow, Amos, Tyler, we are sorry if we missed anyone else.

She was preceded in death by nieces, Valerie Zucco, Clara Anderson, Renee Blackdeer; nephews, Fred Echavarria, Aaron Delgado; brother, Vernal Hungary.

Please sign the online guestbook at: hudsonsfh.com