Thomas Anthony Clark, 76, of Columbia, S.C., passed away Nov. 11, 2021.
Clark was born Feb. 5, 1945, to Ernestine and Ralph Clark of Elizabethtown, N.C. He graduated from Elizabethtown High School in 1963. He was on the Yellow Jacket football team who registered a perfect record and a state championship in the fall of 1961. He went on to graduate from the University of North Carolina in 1967. After graduation he came back to Elizabethtown to teach and coach at his high school alma mater.
Later, he joined the U.S. Army, where he became a Green Beret and served in Vietnam. After his time in the Army, he used his G.I. Bill to get a business degree. He led a successful career running radiology clinics in, Lumberton, N.C., Gainesville, Fla., Columbia, S.C., and Asheville, N.C., before retiring in Columbia, S.C.
Clark was affectionally called “T,” “Papa T,” or “Uncle T” by friends and family. He cherished these nicknames especially from his grandchildren, and nieces and nephews.
He loved the UNC Tar Heels, his alma mater. If the Heels were playing darts on ESPN 20, not only would he be watching but he could tell you the recruits coming in next year. Ninety percent of his shirts were Carolina blue. The other 10 percent he never wore. When you would get into a conversation with him, it always somehow turned to the Tar Heels.
His passing was preceded by his mother and father, Ernestine and Ralph Clark, his sister, Amy Clark, his grandparents, Alexander Livingston and Eloise Warner, Spurgeon & Melissa Clark, his daughter-in-law, Soraya Clark.
He is survived by his loving wife Peggy Nesbitt Clark, his sons Joe Clark (U.S. Navy, Ret.), Chris Clark (Michelle) and Brian Clark, daughter Ashley Clark White (Bob), his grandchildren Marine Cpl. Andrew Clark, Kelly Clark, Jake White, Cloe White and Caleb Clark. He is also survived by his brother, best friend and fellow Carolina alum, Jim Clark (Sue), a former U.S. Navy Aviator.
Papa T’s memory will live on through the hearts and minds of his family and friends.
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