Leah Angelique Barrett

Leah Angelique Barrett, 57, died on August 10, 2023, surrounded by her family. A born introvert, quiet and deeply reflective, Leah was most at home in nature and with animals. She adored summer and fall trails in Steamboat Springs and said it was the only place she could see a bear (her spirit totem), a moose, a crane and a beaver all in a day. Leah felt her best self most often in her counseling practice helping others. Her goal was to connect people to their own better selves (and others in their lives) through vulnerability, imperfection and honesty. Leah shared those qualities by choice, with a rare degree of grace and humility even as her health deteriorated. Her podcast since 2020 'Precarious', became a place for people to explore resilience, loss, meaning and certainly wonder.
Leah was smart in ways both traditional and intuitive. A self-professed science nerd she received Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from the University of Wisconsin and a Master of Social Work degree from Colorado State University. She had a wide and varied career path, first as a counselor in a local oncology practice, creating a specialty counseling practice for young women with eating disorders, working as a bereavement counselor at the CSU Veterinary school, teaching in the graduate Social Work program at CSU, owning and running 'Become Fit' a boutique spinning/yoga/Cross-fit studio, and for the last 10 years of her life she had a busy general adult counseling practice in Fort Collins.
Before wellness trends and media focus on mind/body/spirit connections became in vogue, Leah made these pillars the foundation of her life. She studied them, taught them and lived them daily. An accomplished endurance athlete Leah was more interested in your experience of an event rather than race times, PR's, distances or results. Her commitment to health often encouraged others to better themselves, for themselves and for their loved ones. For those committed to showing up Leah was an able and loyal guide and companion. Leah remained truly appreciative for the trust others placed in her until the end of her life.
Leah always wanted to leave family, friends, clients and the world around her better than she found them. She knew that wasn't possible with her animals as they were way ahead of her. She will be missed by her mother Christine Rexroat of Fort Collins, her brother Jason (Mari and family) of Berwick upon Tweed, England, her sister Gabrielle Pearl (Ted and family) of Parker, friend Michelle Bardino Faris of Fort Collins, and her husband Brian Mesinger and Lulu and Boo Radley at home. Donations to honor Leah can be made to the Larimer Humane Society or the Cornell Ornithology Laboratory. A celebration of Leah's life will be held on Friday evening September 15, 5:30-8pm at The Gardens on Spring Creek, Fort Collins.
If you are awake and observant in nature, Leah may visit in one form or another. She said she would...