Carol Capehart Patterson

Obituary & Life History

Carol Capehart Patterson, 70, of College Station passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2010. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, August 1, at Hillier...

Carol Capehart Patterson, 70, of College Station passed away on Thursday, July 29, 2010. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, August 1, at Hillier Funeral Home in Bryan. Services are set for 2 p.m. Monday, August 2, at Christ United Methodist Church in College Station. Interment will be at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 4, at Ft. Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio.

Carol was born on June 23, 1940, in Marietta, Ohio, to O. Eugene and Eleanor Locke Capehart. The family moved to Houston in 1945, and she was a Houstonian from that point forward. She graduated from Milby High School in 1958, where she and a group of friends formed the “Syndicate,” who still meet together to this day, spending summers in Colorado.

She attended Texas Tech University for one year and, in 1959, began her career as a medical histological technician. Because of her typing abilities, she became a medical secretary who typed autopsies from a Dictaphone.

In 1960, she met the love of her life, John S. “Pat” Patterson, and they were married on June 2, 1962, at Park Place Methodist Church in Houston. Soon after the wedding, she became an Army wife for two years, serving with her husband for one year in West Germany. After leaving the Army, Carol and Pat returned to Houston.

Their daughter Jo Anne was born on January 31, 1965, and 23 months later, on December 19, 1966, their son Patrick E. was born. After her children were born, she devoted her life to her family until they entered elementary school. At that time, she started several part-time jobs that turned into full-time jobs as the children grew up.

She ended her business career in Charlotte, N.C., where she worked for more than 11 years for Bank of America as an executive assistant, primarily within the financial management area. In 2004, she and Pat retired to College Station to be closer to her children and lifelong friends, and Pat could be closer to Kyle Field.

All of her married life, Carol was interested in sewing, crafts, cooking and supporting anything Pat had an interest in, primarily gardening and the Houston Rose Society. During her time in North Carolina, she became very interested in gardening and upon retirement, took and successfully passed the Master Gardening certification for Brazos County. She was an active member of the Brazos County Master Gardeners until 2009.

In College Station, she was finally able to realize her longtime desire to quilt. She became a member and officer of the Brazos Bluebonnet Quilters Guild. One of her proudest moments was in 2009 when she won the blue ribbon for best first quilt at the BBQG Quilt Show. Carol was also a proud member of “The Loose Threads” Quilting Bee. She and her friends spent many happy hours together. The joy in her life became making quilts for her friends and family.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents.

Survivors include her beloved husband of more than 48 years, Pat Patterson; daughter, Jo Anne McCollam; son, Patrick E. Patterson; sisters and brothers-in-law, Helen Ruth “Holly” and Robert Musemeche, Julia Locke “Julie” and Dr. Jack Tracy Mills; sister-in-law, Geneva Helen “Genny” Straughan; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews; and many beloved friends and fellow quilters.

Donations may be made to Brazos Bluebonnet Quilters Guild, attn: Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 9497, College Station, TX 77842, or a charity of your choice.