Ryane grew up in New London, Minnesota, where he developed a love for hunting and the outdoors. He graduated from New London-Spicer High School in 2007, where he wrestled on the school team, and completed the law enforcement program at Alexandria Technical College in 2009.

He enlisted in the National Guard in 2008 before joining the U.S. Army. Assigned to the 57th Sapper Company, 27th Combat Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, 18th Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, he deployed to Afghanistan in December 2009. On October 4, 2010, while riding in the lead vehicle of a convoy, he was killed when it was struck by a rocket- propelled grenade during an attack.

From a young age, Ryane had a strong sense of service. When he was ten, his friend Cody Berg was killed while riding his bike along County Road 31. Five years later, for his Eagle Scout project, he sought to honor Cody by creating a safer parking area along that same road. Though bureaucratic hurdles ultimately halted the effort, he redirected his energies and completed a service project at the Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center, earning the rank of Eagle Scout. After his death, his parents fulfilled his original vision. The newly paved parking lot—adorned with flagpoles, statues, and plaques—now stands as a memorial to both him and his childhood friend.

Further honoring his memory, a portion of Highway 23 between Spicer and New London was renamed the Specialist Ryane G. Clark Memorial Highway. His legacy lives on through his family, friends, comrades, and the many reminders of his service in his hometown.