Charlotte Patterson Field passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 25, 2026, after spending her final week surrounded by devoted family, cherished friends, and compassionate caregivers who loved her deeply.
Charlotte was born on October 8, 1944, in Sherman, Texas, the eldest daughter of E.H. “Pat” Patterson and Melba K. Patterson. In the mid-1950s, the family moved to Conroe, a place that would remain central to Charlotte’s life. Her father served for many years as a band director in Conroe ISD schools, and her mother worked at the downtown Conroe Public Library inspiring Charlotte’s lifelong love of books, education and learning. Growing up in Conroe, Charlotte shared a joyful childhood with her sisters, Linda Patterson Watson and Debbie Patterson, and formed friendships that would last a lifetime.
Charlotte graduated from Davy Crockett (Conroe) High School in 1963 and went on to attend North Texas State University in Denton now known as the University of North Texas (UNT). It was there that she met a fellow student, J. Ritchie Field, Jr., the man who would become her husband and partner in life. Charlotte graduated from UNT in 1967, and she and Ritchie were married in November 1968 in Waco, Texas, while he was attending Baylor Law School.
In 1971, Charlotte and Ritchie returned to Conroe to begin his law practice, settle near loved ones, and start a family of their own. They welcomed two children, Trey and Ashley, and built a home filled with warmth, laughter, and love. Family and friends were always close by, and the Field Family treasured their many shared adventures, including annual trips to New Braunfels and the Texas Gulf Coast.
In the early 1980s, Charlotte earned a master’s degree in library science from Sam Houston State University. She went on to serve as a librarian at Runyan Elementary School in Conroe for twenty-five years, where she delighted in nurturing a love of reading and learning in thousands of children. Few things brought her more joy than helping a child discover the magic of books.
Charlotte was known for her generous heart and sincere interest in others. She took great pride in assisting young women and often wrote letters of recommendation for college-aged women seeking to pledge the Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, an organization she remembered fondly. She also devoted her time to community service through the Conroe Service League and the Pan American Round Tables of Texas, and was a lifelong member of the First Methodist Church of Conroe.
Charlotte will be remembered for her kindness, her quiet strength, her sense of humor, and the deep love she held for her family. She was preceded in death by her husband J. Ritchie Field, Jr., her parents E.H. and Melba Patterson, her husband’s parents James and Hazel Field, her sister Linda Watson and her nephew Neil Watson.
She is survived by daughter Ashley Field DeLaGarza and son-in-law Edward DeLaGarza of Schulenburg, Texas; son, Trey Field and daughter-in-law Deborah Perry of Dallas, Texas; and beloved grandchildren Payton, Preston, and Parker Kahn and Grayson Field She is also survived by sister Debra Patterson of Conroe; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Carolyn and Merle Blado of Conroe; brother-in-law Bill Watson of Conroe; and her niece and nephews and their families, Steven Blado of Kingwood, Texas; David Blado of Portland, Oregon; and Rachel Watson of Austin, Texas.
Trey and Ashley would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Laverne Woodruff and the many caregivers who lovingly assisted with Charlotte’s care over the past decade. Your dedication, kindness, and compassion was a true blessing, and your presence brought our family great comfort and peace of mind.
A celebration of Charlotte’s life will be held at Metcalf Funeral Directors Chapel on Friday, January 30, 2026 at 1:30 p.m with a visitation one hour prior. The memorial service will be followed by interment at Garden Park Cemetery in Conroe.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to the Montgomery County Memorial Library System or to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research.
