In Loving Memory
Dennis Frank Cloud
October 23, 1943 - August 6, 2024
U.S. VETERAN
Dennis Frank Cloud
Obituary
Dennis Franklin Cloud, passed away peacefully August 6, 2024 in St. Louis, MO, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 57 years Sharon (nee Ottinger), his children Kellie Cloud, Allison (Bobby) Koob, Jessica Cloud, Sarah Cloud, Patrick Cloud, and Katie (Justin) Basara, & his beloved grandchildren Kellie Koob, Garrett Koob, Katelyn Cloud, Charlie Koob, Denny Cloud, Tommy Basara, Jack Cloud, Frank Basara, Lydia Cloud, Joe Basara, and Lilly Basara.
Dennis was born in St. Louis in 1943. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1961 and enrolled in the University of Missouri. His love of animals led him to veterinary medicine and he graduated with his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine in 1968. At that time, he accepted a commission in the Public Health Service department of the US Navy and was assigned to Colorado State University. After his service, he returned to St. Louis and purchased his own practice and named it Rock Road Animal Hospital. Starting in a three room building, he grew the practice into a 4 veterinarian practice with many additions. He then opened two more practices: Paw Patch Animal Hospital in Florissant, MO and Cloud Veterinary Center in O’Fallon, MO.
Dr. Cloud was an innovator in the area of practice management for veterinary hospitals and shared these systems at numerous professional conferences and with veterinary students at University of Missouri, Mississippi State University, and Kansas State University. As a result of
his presentations, Dennis was invited to speak at the Southeastern European Veterinary Conference in Barcelona, Spain. Dr. Cloud served on many pet industry advisory boards and was chairman of the American Animal Hospital Association Convention in St. Louis, MO. For 10
years, he hosted the Purina Animal Advice show on KTRS radio. In the spring of 2019, he was inducted into the Missouri Veterinary Medicine Hall of Fame in Jefferson City, MO. After retirement, Dr. Cloud volunteered as a docent at the Basilica of St. Louis and the Missouri
Botanical Garden, and was very active in the Knights of Columbus 12022 and Holy Spirit Assembly.
Outside of veterinary medicine, his passion was coaching girl’s soccer. He began coaching when his daughter’s CYC team was in need of a coach in 1978. For 19 years, he was a licensed coach and developed both club programs and Olympic Development programs. In 1988, he had the privilege of taking the first U-18 women’s team from St. Louis to the national playoffs in Washington, DC.
He will be remembered for his kindness and compassion, love of all things cowboy, and his undying loyalty to the University of Missouri and St. Joseph’s Academy.
Services: Funeral Mass at St Alban Roe Catholic Church, 2005 Shepard Rd, Wildwood, Saturday, August 17, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. Interment Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery with full military honors on Monday, August 19, 2024. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Basilica of St. Louis or Missouri Botanical Garden. Visitation at the SCHRADER Funeral Home a and Crematory, 14960 Manchester Rd., Ballwin, Friday, August 16, 2024 from 4-8 p.m. Friends may sign the family’s on-line guestbook at Schrader.com.
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