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November 27, 1945 – August 21, 2019Sharyn Rae Whiterabbit, Mąąšusgaį (“White Feather”), passed away peacefully surrounded by her family on August 21, 2019, in Hudson, Wisconsin. She was born in Portage, Wisconsin, and is an enrolled member of the Ho-Chunk Nation. Sharyn is preceded in death by son David Charles Green, parents Rev. Mitchell and Camille Whiterabbit, birth parents Murray Whiterabbit and Lilac Goodbear, brother Ronald Whiterabbit and niece René Whiterabbit Cutinella. Sharyn is survived by sisters Marlene (Harvey) and Elaine (Robert), brothers Forrest (Kathyleen) and William, sister Rhonda, niece Joanne, nephew Chad (Nichole), nieces Wendy, Heidi (Glenn) and Sharyn Camille, nephew Forrest Jr. and the beloved Decorah and Lincoln families. She is also survived by her beloved pets Kia Maria Manning and Rusty. Sharyn grew up at the Winnebago Indian Mission in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, and graduated from Black River Falls High School. She attended cosmetology school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and made her career in cosmetology at a salon in Edina, Minnesota. Sharyn turned to public service and began working for the Ho-Chunk Nation in the President’s Office. In 1998, she ran for office and was elected to the Ho-Chunk Nation Legislature and served two terms as a representative of District V until 2005. She then served as an archivist for the Nation to preserve historical documents of the Ho-Chunk Nation relating to federal recognition and the original Winnebago Tribe of Wisconsin Constitution. Sharyn participated in many Indigenous causes including the 100 Year Memorial Ride to commemorate the Wounded Knee massacre. She was a Water Walker in 2011 and 2013. She served as a board member of the Elder’s Lodge, an independent elder living community in St. Paul, Minnesota. She enjoyed meeting other Indigenous Peoples and international travel. A Memorial Service was held on Saturday, August 24, 2019 at 1 pm at All Nations Indian Church, 1515 East 23rd St. Minneapolis, MN. Arrangements are with Bakken-Young Funeral & Cremation Services.
6 Comments
My condolences to the family of Sharyn R. Whiterabbit. She was an inspiration to me. I will miss her kind words and beautiful smile. J.M. Stacy-Snow
Met Sharon in 1997 and she has always been a mentor to me
Amazing women who never gave up!
That first job in the president office was basically a closet, but she worked with it, I remember saying one day you’ll get a bigger office
She agreed and later became a great legislator for the tribe .
Has always been a spiritual leader she traveled to foreign countries to teach and even gave me a picture postcard years ago from these travels . She will be missed, I know she is in paradise now.
I read the Obituary this morning and send my condolences. I did not know Sharyn but I thought of Ron and Roberta and how I missed them. Sharyn looks as gregarious as Ron and I’m sure she has left her mark on her many friends as did Ron whom I still think of today.
Ron and I worked at Control Data in 1965-68 and we traveled to many parts of the USA servicing Electronic Equipment. We always joke that the world would remember Fish, Whiterabbit and Otto (another serviceman)
My prayers and condolences to the family. Sharyn will be missed by many folks, she was a very caring person and had a wonderful sense of humor. Rest In Peace and God Bless You, Sharyn.
I knew Sharyn for 44 years. I met her when we worked at Flair together. As she said many times when we talked these last few years, The Golden Years. No one says that you won’t be able to do what you did before then. I loved her very much she was my dearest friend. Some of the family neice Sharyn would remember me.
I have known Sharyn for over 40 years—she cut my hair for that long—-through her many places until she continued to cut it when she moved back to North Hudson with her Mother. My haircuts turned into a wonderful visit with an old friend who I will miss terribly—not just she cut my hair for so long. Rest in peace, Sharyn
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