Roane State Community College

October 17, 2025

By Deborah Robbins, Roane State staff writer

Anderson County students have more options to make their educational ambitions a reality thanks to the generosity of Grady Wayne Clark and his wife Patricia (Pat) Clark.

While Grady Wayne passed away in 2020, it was both his and Pat’s dream to continue to give back to the community, hence the Grady Wayne and Patricia Clark Scholarship Endowment was created. Pat celebrated her 101st birthday this past May.

“At 101, I have lived long enough to see how knowledge changes and shapes society. My husband devoted his life to science, civic service, and the belief that education opens every door,” Clark said. “This scholarship is my way of ensuring his legacy continues – so future generations of students can carry forward the spirit of learning that meant so much to him.”

The couple graciously bestowed $50,000 to be leveraged for student scholarships, specifically students residing in Anderson County, with preferences given to Oak Ridge. Students are encouraged to apply for Roane State Foundation scholarships each spring, which are awarded the following fall semester.

Grady Wayne Clark was a scientist, veteran, and civic leader whose career and service left a lasting impression on the Secret City.

Born in North Carolina, he earned chemistry and physics degrees from Clemson, served in World War II, and later completed a PhD at the University of Virginia in 1951. During that same week of graduating from his PhD program, he married the love of his life Patricia Pumphrey (Clark).

His scientific efforts focused on crystal growth innovations of synthetic star sapphires and rubies. This work was instrumental in creating the laser.

In 1958, the couple moved to Oak Ridge. Grady Wayne worked at Oak Ridge National Laboratory and served as a crystal physics group leader. He published extensively and held 39 patents in advanced crystal growth technologies. His achievements earned him the prestigious IR 100 Award and the Alvin Weinberg Award for Visionary Research.

Beyond the lab, he made numerous civic contributions including toward higher education. The couple donated land that was vital in the creation of Roane State’s Oak Ridge Branch Campus on Briarcliff Avenue.

Patricia also had her own life ambitions of learning more about the country’s past to preserve it for future generations.
She was born in Washington, D.C., graduated from Madison College (now James Madison University), and began her career teaching English and history before moving into historical editing and research.

She later earned her master’s degree at the University of Tennessee in 1959 and worked for three decades editing The Papers of Andrew Johnson until her retirement in 1989. Johnson was a Tennessean and served as the 17th president of the United States from 1865 to 1869.

Together, the Clarks were deeply engaged in Secret City life. They were always seen under the Friday night lights cheering on the Oak Ridge High School Wildcats football team.

“The Roane State Foundation is honored to ensure the legacy of the Clarks amongst Roane State Community College and the larger Oak Ridge community will live on in this special endowment,” said Scott Niermann, Roane State Foundation Executive Director. “To have met them and known them personally for so many years is a privilege. Roane State has many philanthropic heritages across our service area, and Wayne and Pat Clark are certainly chief among them.”

Roane State Foundation’s mission is to maintain and enhance the quality of life, including economic development, in Roane State’s service area by providing financial support to students and programs on ten Roane State campuses across East Tennessee.

To learn more about the Roane State Foundation, visit roanestate.edu/foundation.