Corrine Guelfi

Corrine Guelfi (June 19, 2021) Tacoma, Washington — Corrine Eleanor Guelfi of Tacoma, Washington passed away on June 19, 2021 at the age of 92. She was preceded in death by her mother, Eleanor (2001) her father, Ralph (1951) her younger brother, Ralph, Jr. (2003) his wife, Nancy Guelfi (2001) her Aunt, Dora Nettle (2008) her uncle, William Nettle (2001) and her niece’s husband, Derek Blaylock (2016) She is survived by her husband of 36 years, Rodney Briggs of Tacoma, nephew, Mark Guelfi (wife Hillary) and their children, Mason and Storm of San Rafael, CA, and Kelsie and Nicki Clausen of Seattle, nephew Matt Guelfi (wife Melinda) and their children, Scott, Jacqueline, and Josh of Lafayette, CA, nephew Mike Guelfi of Ross, CA, nephew, Richard Nettle (wife Paula) of Gig Harbor and his children Scott, Michael and Aubrie,  niece, Christine Nettle (husband John Fallat) of Fircrest and their children Melissa and Claire, her nephew, Roger Nettle of San Francisco, niece, Mary Jane Blaylock and her sons, Geoffrey and Benjamin of Seattle.

Corrine was born in Butte, Montana on August 21, 1928 and at 8-years-old moved with her younger brother, Ralph who was an infant at that time, and her mother and father, to the McKinley Hill neighborhood in Tacoma. Corrine attended high school at Aquinas and worked after school at Weisfields Jewelers on Tacoma Avenue. Upon graduation in 1946, Corrine passed on an opportunity to go to college and took a job at the ASARCO Smelter in Ruston. She started in the typing pool and moved up to Executive Assistant to the Manager, a position that she held until she retired in 1984 after 37 years of employment. Corrine was an active member of the Laureate Beta Sigma Chapter of the Beta Phi Sorority of which she was a long time member. She was also a very active and committed parishioner at St Leo’s Catholic Church on Yakima St where she served on the Liturgy Committee for many years and helped lead two renovations of the Church. Corrine was an avid gardener and loved to cook with her mother for their large, extended family at the holidays and on special occasions.

Corrine met her future husband, Rodney Briggs, in 1967 in Tacoma. Rodney was an executive in the purchasing department at the ASARCO Smelter. After a long courtship,  Rodney and Corrine were married at St. Leo’s Catholic Church on June 1, 1985. Rodney was a devoted, loving and caring husband and son-in-law as he helped Corrine care for her elderly mother for many years before turning his full attention to caring for Corrine in her final years, weeks and days. Their relationship spanned 54 years. Corrine and Rodney enjoyed many trips to Hawaii and spent summers vacationing on the Oregon coast.

A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Leo’s Catholic Church to celebrate the life of Corrine Guelfi on Thursday, July 29 at 12:10 pm. There will be a reception and lunch following the Mass at the Fr. William Bichsel, SJ Social Hall located next to the Church on Yakima St. In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting that donations, in Corrine’s name, be made to St Leo’s Church Emergency Services Fund. 

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