‘He made us all better’: Lifelong friends of skier killed in fall at Mt. Bachelor share fond memories

Larry Godfrey, 79, leaves behind two daughters, two grandchildren

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Larry Godfrey, 79, a former San Diego resident who retired in Bend, suffered a fatal fall on the Wanoga run at Mt. Bachelor last week. Lifelong friends of the experienced skier shared memories Thursday about Godfrey and the time they spent together at San Diego State.

The friends said Godfrey was a very advanced skier, and also enjoyed hiking and fishing. He had been a high school math teacher and coach in San Diego, and spent his retirement in Bend for the past 20 years.    

Lifelong friend Bill Perkins was on his way to meet Godfrey and two other friends at the Cloudchaser lift at Mt. Bachelor when the tragedy occurred. 

"They didn't see the accident but, when they got to the lift, he didn't show up," Perkins said. "They waited, waited, waited, then went back up to the lift, and they saw Wanoga was closed off because of an accident. And that's when they called me, and I got a call saying 'Hey, we think Larry's been in an accident.'" 

Perkins met Godfrey their freshman year at San Diego State University.

"Then from there, we were in different fraternities," Perkins said. "But we hung out together, and then our relationship progressed through other various friends. I was in his wedding and he was in mine."  

Raphael X. Reichert also knew Larry from SDSU-- they were track teammates.

"As a member of the track team, he was just a great guy to work out with," Reichert said. "It's always when you're working out with somebody that's better than you, you remember that 'a rising tide lifts all ships.' So he made us all better." 

At San Diego State, Godfrey became an NCAA champion in the 440-meter intermediate hurdles, running a time of 51.5 seconds in 1965. 

"He was one of the best guys on the team," Reichert said. "I mean, how do you argue with national champion in the intermediate hurdles? So national champion in at the college level, in the world's greatest track power? That kind of says it all."

Perkins said of Godfrey: "He was kind, loving, adventurous, giving just a -- you know, a great all-around human being."

Following Godfrey's death, Mt. Bachelor put out a brief statement, saying he was wearing a helmet, and that ski patrol responded quickly. But Perkins said there was little they could do to try to save him.

Godfrey leaves behind two daughters and two grandchildren, who live in San Diego.