Arthur Myron Clendenin, Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan to Arthur M. Clendenin, Sr. and Dorothy Shivers Clendenin. His love of photography began at a young age when he converted a basement area into his darkroom where he began photo processing. Clendenin graduated from Michigan State University in 1956 majoring in Accounting. During his time at MSU, Clendenin was part of the State News, Accounting Club, Officers Club, Wolverine yearbook staff, and the Kappa Alpha Mu honorary society. He traveled to the 1954 Rose Bowl game when MSU played UCLA.

After graduating from MSU, he entered the U.S. Army for two years and was stationed in Omaha, Nebraska. After being discharged from the army, Clendenin married Judy Rogers on September 20, 1958 in Council Bluffs, Iowa and began his accounting career with Price Waterhouse in Detroit, Michigan. While with the company, he moved to their Toledo office in 1960. In 1972, Clendenin formed his own accounting firm. He stayed in Ohio until 2007 when he sold his practice and moved to Texas.

At the age of 79, Clendenin died on September 17, 2013. Together with his wife Judy, they had four children: Arthur M. Clendenin III, Christine Clendenin, Nancy Dederer, and Ruth Clendenin.