November 18, 2021 at 2:05 p.m.
Corinne Anne Lester
Corinne Anne Lester
She was born in Milwaukee, the firstborn child of Alice and William McCarville. They later moved from Milwaukee to Appleton, where she graduated from high school. Corinne then earned a degree in education from the State Teachers College in Oshkosh. After graduating from college, she met James D. Lester, and they were married on Oct. 3, 1952. They went on to have two children, James born in 1953 and John born in 1956. Corinne and James divorced on June 15, 1964 and Corinne became a single mother to two young children. She moved to Green Bay to be close to her parents. To support herself and her children, she took a position as the director of the Green Bay Nursery School. When her boys were old enough to attend public elementary school, she took a teaching position in Green Bay at Danz Elementary School.
For the next 30 plus years she taught at Danz School. First in third grade and then she moved up to fourth grade. She was passionate about teaching early Green Bay history, and ended up writing two books that the Green Bay School System used in their curriculum district wide. Corinne had a large, personal collection of antiques that she brought to school, so her students could experience what it was like to live back then. She would also volunteer at Heritage Hill State Park in Green Bay. She was also active in teaching folk dancing to her students at Danz School. Each Spring she would teach the students a Maypole dance celebration. She was the kind of teacher who kids really liked, and they would visit with her after graduating to the next grade.
Corinne retired from teaching in 1991, sold her home in Green Bay and moved up to Three Lakes, to be closer to her son John and her two grandchildren, Sara and Billy Lester. Continuing her love of teaching Wisconsin history, she volunteered at the Three Lakes Historical Society for 15 years. She sang in the choir at the Catholic Church in Three Lakes, and when Mass was done, she would walk across the street and sing at the Congregational Church. She also performed in some local plays at the Three Lakes High School.
Being retired now and having the time, she took up travel abroad and visited 45 different countries. Her trips included both of her ancestors' homelands, Ireland and Czechoslovakia. While in these two countries she did extensive genealogical research, and wrote two books on family history. She also sponsored a young boy from Chile, and visited with him while there.
As the Wisconsin winters became too much for her to handle, she bought an additional home in Mountain Home, Ark. For the next 10 years, she and her beloved Westie named Maxwell enjoyed living in Wisconsin for the summers, and Arkansas for the winters.
In 2016 she had to give up her driver's license due to failing eyesight, so living alone was no longer an option. She moved into Grace Lodge in Rhinelander, with her trained "therapy dog" and lived there until her death.
Corinne was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Richard McCarville. She is survived by her sons, James and John (Molly) Lester and two grandchildren, Sara Perry and Billy Lester, and two great-grandchildren, Emma and Thomas Joseph Perry.
The visitation for Corinne will be held on Monday, Nov. 22, at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church in Rhinelander, from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial. Fr. Chris Kemp will officiate.
The family would like to thank Grace Lodge for their wonderful care of Corinne, for five plus years!
Memorial contributions may be made to your local animal shelter per her wishes.
Arrangements have been entrusted to the Hildebrand Funeral Home & Cremation Specialists, 24 E. Davenport Street, Rhinelander, Wisconsin 54501, 715-365-4343. Everyone is invited to sign the guestbook or leave an online condolence at www. hildebrandrussfh.com.
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