The best way I can think of right now to describe Ken is to say that I ran into Ken and his cousin at the ski hill just a couple weeks ago and that was the highlight of the day. It truly was. He's just one of those people that when you run into him somewhere it energizes your day and you go home and tell your wife about it and your friends when you see them. "Hey! Guess who I saw at the ski hill?..." I must've told at least 20 people that story.
A great guy. Rest in peace Kenny.
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A physical education teacher at Helena Middle School died Wednesday afternoon after a school field trip skiing at Great Divide.
Kenneth Cloud, 50, was on one of the school district’s student ski trips for the day, and he collapsed shortly after he made the final pass to ensure all the students were off the hill.
Cloud was transported by ambulance and died from a heart attack about 30 minutes after arriving at St. Peter’s Hospital, said Lewis and Clark County Coroner Mickey Nelson.
For the most part, students didn’t see what was happening because they were loaded on the bus and heading back to town, Superintendent Bruce Messinger said.
The district will respond this morning by informing students in their classes what has happened and provide counseling support for students and staff. A letter will also be sent home to inform parents.
“We know children grieve, as all of us do, in different ways,” Messinger said. “Some will need more support than others.”
Cloud has a long history in Helena as a state champion wrestler for Helena High and later a coach. He has been the physical education and health teacher at Helena Middle School for the past 21 years.
“This is a tragic loss,” Messinger said. “He is a member of our school district family and we are sincerely concerned for his family, our staff and students that he’s been involved with.”
Marty Kloker was Cloud’s assistant coach at Helena High, and replaced him as head coach when he resigned in 2002.
“Kenny is one of those guys who stuck with the same program most of his life,” Kloker said. “He was a wrestler at Helena High, he came back to coach at the school, and then afterwards he worked the scorer’s table at Bengal matches, and coached the younger kids at the middle school. He just loved Helena High wrestling.”
Jim Opitz, Helena School District activities director, said Cloud was “tremendously important” to school children.
“This is pretty shocking. Ken was one of the most important people to the wrestling community, especially Helena High wrestling,” Opitz said. “He was one of those guys that was good with kids. He was tremendously important to the Helena Middle School kids.”
Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home and Crematory is handling the arrangements.
Look for more information in Friday’s Independent Record.
