“LARRY BECAME A LIVING LEGEND
AROUND BEND, ON AND OFF THE SKI
HILL. A GIFTED AND NATURAL ATHLETE,
HE EXCELLED IN ALPINE RACING.”
LARRY KITE REMEMBERED
Skiing in the 60’s & 70’s was a blast!
Remembering the spirit & essence of Larry Kite, another good soul who
has transitioned on. Larry turned out to be one of those star-crossed
powerless dudes – not the first of my good friends to slide out that way.
I knew Larry when he was a kid – the whole Kite family - I was their pa-
perboy in the early ‘50’s. I watched him expand as a ski racer and gutsy
trickster – he’s the first guy I ever saw do-&-land a double backflip, rip-
pin’ down 4th Bowl (Leeway) & flyin’ off the road above the chute that
leads to the Cinder Cone - on 205’s, at least, and in a ragin’ blizzard.
Larry was one of those gifted naturals with superior movement skills,
who burned the candle at both ends. I’m sure the good-time stories will
flow, remembering this local free spirit, his friendliness and his smile. I’m
sure feeling the loss, no matter - Terry Foley
Larry Kite was born in Bend, Oregon on March 17, 1953. In his youth
he joined the Skyliner Ski Club and began racing right off the bat. His
brother Marty and sister Dori started two years later, and his parents
followed next. Larry attended Bend Senior High and earned a skiing
scholarship to University of Montana at Missoula. Larry placed in the
top five in the NCAA skiing championships. Larry also trained on the
US Olympic hopeful squad for a time. His non-conformist attitudes and
lifestyle weren’t a good fit however; he did coach several young ski
racers in later years to berths on the US Ski Team. He also participated
in several of the US Professional Ski Races. He earned the hon