C. Leon Partain, MD, PhD

Clarence Leon Partain, age 85, of Brentwood, Tennessee, passed away on Wednesday, January 28th with his beloved wife, Judy, by his side.

Born in Memphis, Tennessee on July 12, 1940 to Vergie Young and Archie Leon Partain, Leon grew up in West Tennessee where his father served as a pastor and church planter. At the age of nine, Leon embraced Jesus as Lord and Savior, and was baptized by his dad.

Upon his graduation from Clarksville High School, Leon attended the University of Tennessee where he received a Bachelor Degree in Nuclear Engineering followed by a Master and Doctor of Philosophy Degree in the same field at Purdue University. At age 32, while teaching at the University of Missouri, he sensed God’s calling which he would describe as a divine nudge to change career paths. With courage and faith, he moved his young family to St. Louis where he entered medical school at Washington University.

Leon was a faithful follower of Christ and was anchored to Jesus as the source of hope and the basis for authority in his life. He was deeply committed to his family and friends and set his priorities, in his own words, “within a properly ordered sequence of faith, family and profession.”

His love of the church was exemplified through his service as a deacon, teacher, choir director, choir member and trustee. His passion for the body of Christ extended beyond the local church, taking him to South America, Ukraine, South Korea, and Kenya where he shared the Gospel in word and in action.

Leon’s greatest love, apart from Jesus Christ, was his family. A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, Leon spent his life serving those he loved. He was sure to make every effort to be present at each important life event and to have his camera in hand so that every memory was captured. Our most treasured family memories include vacations at the beach, fishing in the pond with Pop, gator rides around the farm, and family dinners around the dining room table.

Leon devoted his professional life to medicine, research, and teaching. His work advanced the clinical application of Magnetic Resonance Imaging while mentoring generations of physicians and scientists. During his thirty five year tenure in academic radiology at Vanderbilt University, he served as Chair of Radiology and Director of the Center for Imaging Research. A prolific author and editor, he guided the Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for many years and gave generously of his time through national service in multiple scientific organizations. Yet the true foundation of Dr. Partain’s life was his unapologetic but deeply humble faith in Jesus Christ. That faith shaped his character, guided his decisions, and infused his work with compassion and purpose. Though widely respected for his leadership and scholarship, he was best known to family, friends, colleagues, and trainees for his unwavering integrity, gentle spirit, and steady encouragement. Leon leaves behind a legacy not only of scientific achievement, but of faithful living and loving mentorship. He profoundly touched the lives of others with kindness and compassion.

Leon is survived by his wife of 62 years, Judy; children David (Rebecca), Teri (Bland), and Amy; brother Larry (Deb); Brother in law Tom (Cathy); grandchildren Sarah (Brandon), Amy, Luke, Tucker, Alex, Ryan and Jake; his cousins and a host of nieces and nephews that he adored.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at Brentwood Baptist Church, 7777 Concord Road, Brentwood, TN 37027 on Saturday, February 7th at 2:00 pm with a reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Hope House International or Brentwood Baptist Church Mission Fund. 

hopehouseinternational.org 

brentwoodbaptist.com