John Russell Cloud

World War II veteran John Russell Cloud passed away in Great Falls, on Nov. 19, 2016.

John Cloud was born to Dr. Hiram Bryan and Lucille (Russell) Cloud at Plentywood, on Nov. 2, 1927. By 1930, the family moved from Medicine Lake to Wolf Point where “Johnny” has great memories growing up. As a kid he had lots of friends, a black mare named Beauty and a Chesapeake dog named Lindy.

During high school John did farm and ranch work around Wolf Point, went to school,and spent many weekends hunting with his dad. At age 17, John and his younger brother, Jim, lost their father in a tragic car accident while hunting. His senior year John played in a dance band on Saturday nights and dated Donna Dahl who would re-enter his life years later. After graduation John joined the Navy and was assigned on a Destroyer Escort, the USS Presley. He was discharged on July 18, 1946. That fall John went to Missoula and began college at the University of Montana, graduating with a degree in business administration in 1951.

After college John’s first job was with Commercial Credit Corporation working the area of Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls. Next he worked for First National Bank of Whitefish selling insurance and learning the banking business. During that time John met, and later married, Kathy Lloyd. Soon John would go to work for the Abell Agency and Credit Union in Whitefish. Between 1954 and 1958, John and Kathy added three children to the Cloud family: James Lloyd, David Bryan, and Joann Lucille.

Between 1959 and 1962 the young Cloud family moved to Glasgow and then to Great Falls while John expanded his financial experience. He was a banker with the First National Bank of Glasgow, then a stock broker with J. M. Dain & Company in Great Falls. In 1962 John was lured back to Whitefish, where key investors gave him a free hand to start a bank. On his 37th birthday in 1964, John opened the doors to the new First State Bank of Whitefish (later to be named the Mountain Bank) where he became President and Chairman of the Board. In 1977 John would be instrumental in helping start another new bank, the Flathead Bank of Bigfork.

In 1977, when the children were grown, John and Kathy Cloud were divorced. In 1979 John married Whitefish native, Elaine (Pete) Cuffe. John retired from banking in 1984 and went back to an exciting outdoor life of ranching, hunting, fishing and racing horses. Most of the ranching took place near Malta, where he also loved to hunt and spend time with friends and family. His wife, Elaine (Pete), passed away in June of 1997.

In fall of 1997 John would be reacquainted with his high school sweetheart, Donna Dahl. They married on Oct. 28, 1997 and made their last home in Great Falls, Montana. Donna brightened John’s life until she passed away on Aug. 29, 2016.

Though John grew up during the Great Depression in the town of Wolf Point on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, he has led a life of “varied experiences.” He shared these experiences in a book entitled “Montana—The Way It Was.” His autobiography describes Montana history as seen through the eyes of an accomplished business man who loved horses, ranching, hunting and fishing. In 2014 John R. Cloud was inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame, an honor for which he was extremely proud.

John Cloud was the ultimate optimist, a leader, and a man of integrity. He was respected by all and will be missed by his family and friends.

John Cloud is survived by (including families of) his brother, James H. Cloud of Clancy,; two sons, James L. Cloud of Anchorage, Alaska and David Cloud of Homer Alaska; one daughter, Joann Cloud of Salt Lake City, Utah; two granddaughters, Jamie Cloud of Homer, Alaska and Lacy Francis of Lander, Wyoming; five great- grandsons of Alaska and Wyoming.

Condolences for the family may be posted on www.SchniderFuneralHome.com. Or, cards or notes (please no flowers) for any family member can be sent to: Dave and Melissa Cloud, 14005 North Fork Road, Polebridge, MT 59928

Memorial service is pending for a later date. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Schnider Funeral Home.