Jenny Lind, CA…Peter Rácz died on October 31, 2023 at age 79, in Kingman, AZ. Peter was born in Hungary in 1944, the son of a Gypsy father and a Jewish mother. His parents raised him Catholic to hide his ethnic heritage. In 1957, after the communist uprising began, Peter’s father, along with Peter and his uncle, left Hungary for Vienna, Austria. His mother and baby sister took a different route. The three men slept in hay bales during the day and traveled at night to avoid being caught by Russians patrolling the area. It took three nights of hiking before they arrived at the Austrian border, where the guards accepted their bribe and allowed them to cross.

The family was reunited in Austria and traveled by bus to Germany, where they boarded a U.S. military plane and flew to Camp Kilmer in New Jersey. The family was sponsored by the Catholic Church in Gary, IN, and was taken in by an old Hungarian family. From there, they moved to a Hungarian community in Chicago, IL, where his father worked for the railroad. A concert violinist who had studied in Vienna, his father would play Gypsy music, which was very popular in the Hungarian communities.

Peter began seventh grade in a Catholic boy’s school before he could speak any English. He tried out for the football team his freshman year at St. Philip High School. Peter would recall, “There was this animal that buried me three feet under the ground.” The “animal” who tackled him was Dick Butkus. They remained acquainted into adulthood.

Peter excelled in swimming under the instruction of legendary swim coach Jack Bolger, who coached Portage Park’s Swim Team in Chicago, Illinois, and Northwestern University Men’s swim team in Evanston, Illinois. Peter swam the 100- and 200-meter breaststroke, individual medley and butterfly. Peter also swam for the Catholic Youth Organization and the YMCA. Peter became a top swimmer for his high school and would work as a lifeguard during the summers. After setting a national record in his senior year, he received a scholarship to Southern Illinois University, where he earned his degree in marketing and management, with a minor in government and economics. He competed in the Olympic swimming trials.

In 1966 Peter met his wife Eleanor. They wed in 1967 and were married for 41 years. They had two children. In 1972 they moved to Livermore, CA, where he opened his auto repair shop, Pleasanton Sports and Import Car Service, specializing in Volvos, Saabs, Renaults and Citroens. He ran his auto shop for 27 years before retiring on a 10- acre parcel in Jenny Lind, CA, where he hand-built a 3-story geodesic dome home, designed by his former professor and architect, Buckmister Fuller. Downstairs was his auto shop, where he tinkered with P1800s. Peter was a serious student of the martial arts and earned two black belts. For a short period of time, Peter was a blackjack dealer and security guard at Jackson Rancheria. He was an avid Raiders fan. He enjoyed scuba diving and trips to Mexico with his family.

Peter’s life experiences drove him to stay on top of politics. He valued the principle of a republic, where the rights of the minority are protected from the whims of the majority. He would say, “I’d rather see political evolution and not a political revolution.” Peter kept a vigilant watch over local government and was a frequent speaker at Calaveras County Board of Supervisors Meetings, where he would underscore the importance of the government’s role of protecting individual rights to life, liberty and property. He organized the Tea Party in Calaveras County, featuring Congressman Tom McClintock and Assembly Woman Kristen Olson as speakers. His biggest concern was the financial burden California’s political ideology was placing on his children and grandchildren. More than anything, Peter loved his kids, grandkids, great grandson and girlfriend.

In 2018, Peter Rácz moved to Kingman, Arizona, where he lived out his final days.
Peter is survived by his son, Paul Rácz, daughter-in-law, Katy Rácz, daughter, Joany Rácz Tresch, grandchildren Ryan Rácz, Kriztina Houck, Lee Houck, Nicole Tresch, Kenny Tresch, great grandson Liam Houck. In Budapest Peter is survived by Cousins Geza Rácz, Zoltan Racz and his wife Marie Rácz, their son Attila, and Pete’s girlfriend, Tonja Dausend. Peter was preceded in death by his wife, Eleanor Rácz, and sister, Susan Rácz.