Outdoor Central Oregon Issue 4 | April/May 2018 | Page 15

“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