Patterson Honored with school dedication
after 50 Years in Education
by Kimberly Sutton

“It’s such a special honor to have a school named after you,” Patterson said. “Words can’t describe how I feel.

“It’s very rare that someone who is deep-rooted in the school district and who has gone to school in the district from first grade to 12th grade has a school named after them. I am so honored and blessed. My wife and I hope to be involved in the school as mentors and help however way we can.”

Charlie L. Patterson Elementary School is located at 670 Beach Airport Rd. in Conroe.

“He was so excited to see so many coworkers, former board members, community leaders and friends,” said Patterson’s son, Chad, who attended with his wife Liz.

Charlie Patterson’s brother Tommy and his wife Pat attended, and his deceased brother Ralph’s wife Clara Nell, along with his son, his wife and his two grandchildren, Josh and Jessie, joined in the celebration.

“It was very moving for me to see my dad, of course my hero, standing among true friends and community leaders who have each left a legacy in Conroe ISD and Montgomery County,” Chad Patterson said.

The program included Conroe ISD board President Ray Sanders, who gave a personal welcome and told a story of Patterson’s life.

The Patterson Elementary school choir sang some songs and recited poems written about Patterson.

“(CISD Superintendent) Dr. (Don) Stockton told a personal story about his work with Dad as a mentor and friend,” Chad Patterson said. “Then Dad stood and shared his heart for about 20 minutes on all the people that had impacted him, his memories of growing up in Conroe ISD, his years of service in education and in the district for a total of 50 years.”

Patterson then challenged the parents of the children to stay involved and charged them to work hard on their education.

Patterson said education was truly the key, along with his faith in God, that allowed him the privilege and honor of standing there at Patterson Elementary.

A video was shown to the audience of highlights of Patterson’s life.

“That was really special and is what choked me up,” Chad Patterson said.

“It is an honor to have a school named after Charlie Patterson,” Stockton said. “Mr. Patterson’s character and lifelong commitment to helping others is a great example for both our children and adults to follow.”

Patterson’s parents moved to Conroe when he was 6 and he was raised attending CISD schools.

He graduated from the old Conroe High School, which was then Davy Crockett and is now Travis Intermediate.

After graduating, he played football for the University of Houston on a scholarship and then studied administration at Sam Houston State University.

Patterson started his teaching career with Houston ISD and was a coach at Milby High School. Later, he taught at Robert E. Lee High School and then accepted a position as the first head football coach at McArthur High School in Aldine ISD.

In Conroe ISD, he made the move into school administration, beginning with McCullough High in 1978, and then Oak Ridge High in 1981, before going to Conroe High from 1982-84.

He served as assistant superintendent for administration in 1984 and was promoted to deputy superintendent in 1992, where he worked until he retired.

He officially retired in 2002, but then worked part-time for the district for 10 years “doing all the demographics,” he said.

Patterson’s name was submitted to the board by CISD board trustee John Husbands last year and was approved with a 5-2 vote.

“There’s a reason for naming this particular school after Charlie,” Husbands said in a previous Courier article. “That school is on Beach Road, kind of his old stomping grounds.”

Conroe Courier

November 15, 2014

Montgomery County Texas Banner graphics were designed by and remain the property of Jean Huot Smoorenburg. If you are being charged to view/use any of this information or have questions or comments, please contact Jane Keppler.

Copyright © 1997 - 2016 by Jane Keppler. This information may be used by individuals for their own personal use, libraries and genealogical societies. Commercial use of this information is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from Jane Keppler. If material is copied, this copyright notice must appear with the information and please email me and let me know. Neither the Site Coordinators nor the volunteers assume any responsibility for the information or material given by the contributors or for errors of fact or judgment in material that is published at this website.
 

Page Modified: 18 October 2016