Charlotte Ann Lee passed peacefully on June 17, 2026, with her beloved husband Gary holding her hand. Charlotte was born on February 13, 1943, in Shreveport, LA to King and Bessie Overton. Charlotte grew up in West Monroe, LA and married Rex Carter on July 9, 1962. Their daughter Terri Kay was born on February 4, 1964.
After Charlotte received her degree in Education from Northeast Louisiana University, she taught at Jack Hayes Elementary in Monroe, LA for 18 years. For many years, she taught gifted kids. Charlotte had always wanted to work in the mental health field. In 1990 she took a sabbatical from teaching and returned to school to get a master’s degree in Substance Abuse Counseling.
In December 1992 she met her future husband Gary and moved to Santa Fe in December of 1993. The story of their meeting had to be fate. Gary and a friend were visiting his parents for the Christmas holidays and decided on their last night to go out, listen to some music, and have a few beers. They ended up at a club called Bobby Sox. While listening to the music, Gary noticed two women walk in the door. He told his friend to move over so they would come sit beside them in the last two seats in the club. They did and Charlotte and Gary danced until the club closed.
It turned out that Charlotte only lived a few blocks from Gary’s parents and he had been running by her house every morning. Charlotte invited Gary to stop by and she would fix breakfast. The next morning Gary knocked on Charlotte’s door, and again, and again. Charlotte had been asleep. When Gary inquired about breakfast, he learned that she only had a little orange juice and never expected him to actually show up.
Charlotte began working in the mental health field and eventually started working at Family Council in Los Alamos where she later became the Clinical Supervisor. Later she opened her own clinical practice in Los Alamos.
One thing that was somewhat unique about their marriage was that Charlotte and Gary alternated planning a trip for their anniversary. Anywhere in North America was fair game. Their trips ranged from an eco resort on Newfoundland to a lighthouse in San Francisco Bay. What was really fun was that the non-planner did not know where they were going until they were on the airplane.
Charlotte is survived by her husband of 30 years Gary Lee, her daughter Terri Kay Garlington (Doug), three Garlington grandsons: Grant (Emily), Cody (Lydia), and Ethan (Macie), and seven great grandchildren.
Charlotte will always be remembered for her smile and quick laugh and her sense of adventure.