Clarice Patterson was born at the Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland, USA on 29 December 1912.

After graduating from Frederick Douglass High School and Morgan State University, Patterson earned a degree in business. She married and had three children. She worked for the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks as a director of the Cahill Recreational Center until she retired in 1983.

At the age of 100, Patterson was diagnosed with dementia but was still able to dance as of her 105th birthday in 2017. On her 110th birthday in 2022, her family attributed her longevity to not drinking alcohol and having a healthy diet. At the time, she had three granddaughters and a few great-grandchildren.

Clarice Patterson currently lives at her home in West Baltimore, Maryland, USA.