Kenneth Clay Raper, who had a long list of names as enhancement talent in the 1980s and 1990s, has died of a terminal heart condition. He was 67.
At various times, primarily out of Memphis, he was known as Ken Raper, Ken Reaper, Master of Terror II, Frankenstein, and Galaxian Beta in the Galaxians tag team with Ken Wayne.
Born on January 8, 1955, Raper got into pro wrestling in 1976, training under Mario Galento.
At 6-foot-1, 220 pounds, Raper had decent size, and worked into the late 1990s.
Ken Raper
His biggest success came in Puerto Rico, where he was WWC Caribbean Heavyweight champion under the name Chief War Cloud, beating Gil Hayes on November 25, 1978, and losing to Don Kent on January 6, 1979.
Raper was also a tag team champion, alongside Robert Reed, in the Memphis-based CWA, for a couple of days in October 1983.
The Galaxians were a tag team in the Memphis-based USWA in 1992-93; Ken Wayne had had previous success in the Nightmares tag team alongside Danny Davis. Raper had only replaced Davis for a short time in the Galaxians, a masked team — managed by Jim Cornette — that carried space-like phasers to the ring.
Another masked team with Raper was the Masters Of Terror, again in USWA in 1993; Master Of Terror #1 was again Ken Wayne.
On WWE TV, Raper was used as enhancement talent a few times, from 1995-97, including losing to Intercontinental champion Razor Ramon on Superstars, airing December 2, 1995, and losing to Faarooq (Ron Simmons) on Superstars February 2, 1997.
Further details on his passing on January 24, 2022, are not known at this time. Serenity Funeral Home in Memphis is handing the arrangements. He had a son, Kenneth Aaron Raper.
Ken Raper on a card from Clarksdale, MS, on January 3, 1992.
Ken Raper on a card from Greenwood, MS, on May 16, 1984.
EDITOR’S NOTE: A few extra details were added on January 26, 2022, including clarifying the date of death to January 24, 2022; on January 27, the cause of death was added; on January 29, his son was added.
The family has set up a GoFundMe campaign to help with funeral expenses.
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