Christine Karoline "Charlotte" Ringleb PhD

Dr Christine "Charlotte" Karoline Ringleb PhD, 77, a 26 year resident of Denver, Colorado, died peacefully on February 15th, 2026 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with her daughter by her side.Born in Germany, Charlotte left her home country and moved to Aberdeen, Scotland, for her doctoral studies in Ecology. While at the university of Aberdeen, she met and married US born Jesse Boyce. Once they had both earned their PhDs, they moved to the Americas with their young daughter. The family ultimately settled in the USA, in Carbondale, Colorado. Charlotte's work shifted from ecological studies to software design and engineering, at which she excelled; Charlotte moved to Denver after her divorce to pursue opportunities in this line of work.Following her retirement, Charlotte enjoyed working as a docent at the Denver Botanical Gardens. Remaining a devoted ecologist, she worked to encourage the fostering of functional ecological systems in addition to the classic showy displays already heavily represented in the gardens. In her own garden, she carefully selected native plants that would support local bird species. Charlotte was a regular participant in Cornell Lab of Ornithology bird research through regular backyard bird counts in addition to supporting other ongoing research projects with data analysis.Following a severe stroke in March of 2025 which left her without the use of her left side, Charlotte relocated to Albuquerque, New Mexico, where her daughter assumed her full-time care. Charlotte's quality of life declined in her last months as she struggled with chronic pain caused by the stroke and lack of mobility, she chose to use the Medical Aid in Dying program to end her life. In keeping with her wishes, her body was donated to support the education of medical students.Charlotte is survived by her daughter Elizabeth Boyce, son-in-law Emiliano, and grandson Julian. With extended family and friends spread around the world, Charlotte wished to be celebrated and remembered individually and peacefully by having her friends and family spend time outside enjoying nature and caring for native birds and their habitats.