Leah Rae (Weitzel) Corlett, age 82, formerly of Janesville, WI, went to be with our Lord Jesus Christ on May 4, 2020, after a brief illness.

Born to Norman J. and Catherine L. Weitzel of Janesville, she graduate from Janesville High School in 1955, and worked briefly as a model, before taking an administrative job at GM. She married Navy Ensign Norman J. Corlett, Jr. in Janesville in 1959, and she began the busy life of a dedicated Navy wife and mother, raising her children by herself when their father was on military deployment.

She loved to travel and to make new friends wherever she lived, whether in Long Beach, CA; Great Lakes, IL; San Diego, CA; Pearl City/Honolulu, HI; Virginia Beach, VA; Napes, Italy; Oberjesingen, Germany; Washington, D.C.; Severn, MD; Twin Falls, ID; or Strongsville, OH. She moved back to Janesville to care for her mother, brightening her final years, and then finally moved to Nokesville, VA with family for the past few years.

She learned her love of fishing as a young girl from her father and brothers, with the Wietzel clan it was a family affair. Many a Northern and a few Muskies found themselves at the end of her rod. After a long day out on the water, she loved a brandy old fashioned or two, and good conversation. She was a darn good cook, and could fashion a hearty meal from whatever was in the fridge and cupboard, only rarely, however gleefully, resorting to the military commissary’s frugal 39 cent Chef Boyardee Pizza in a box. Years later she would laugh and claim her children had fabricated this story.

Leah Rae is survived by her brother, Norman J. Weitzel; and sister, Kathleen Wagner. She is also survived by her four children; John (Risa) Corlett, Carla (Larry) Rollins, Lianne Cartt, and James (Brooke) Corlett. She leaves nine grandchildren; Nick, Jessica, Hailey, Hayden, Holden, Jennifer, Mary Leah, Joshua and Noah; as well as seven great-grandchildren, Gabe, Isabella, Leah Rae, Luke, Avery, Madeline, and Ryan. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother John L. Weitzel.

A celebration of Life will be held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Janesville, WI, on August 29, 2020 at 11:00 a.m., with burial to follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

In lieu of any flowers, the family requests that donations be made St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Please sign the guestbook at www.bakerpostfh.com

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