Dr. Richard Bond passed away peacefully at home with his family in Albuquerque, N.M., on Jan. 2 after a very long and difficult struggle with ALS. He was born in Rock Springs, Wyo., on May 6, 1940, to the late Elfrida and Elmo Bond.
Dick graduated from Pacific University in 1966 with a degree in optometry and served in the Air Force from 1966 to 1968 in Tachikawa, Japan, where he met Mary, his wife of 50 years. He began his practice of optometry in Rock Springs and then spent 35 years in Los Alamos, N.M., until his semiretirement in 2008. He loved his career and his patients and when asked if he worked at the Los Alamos Lab, he said, “No, I just make sure they can see what they are doing!”
Dick is survived by his wife, Mary Chabrison Bond; sons Kevin Bond, of Anchorage, Alaska, and Brian Bond (Karen) of Prescott, Ariz.; daughter Kristen Wilcox (Scott), of Albuquerque; and 15 lively, wonderful grandchildren.
All who know Dick remember him as a kind, gentle man who loved serving others in Rotary for 50 years, as well as many other community and charitable organizations. He was passionate about outdoor activities in the beautiful mountains of New Mexico and Colorado, especially skiing, volunteering as a tour guide at Chimney Rock National Monument and traveling all over this wonderful world.
The family would like especially thank all our friends and the ALS society and Hospice of New Mexico for their care and support. If you would like to remember Richard, a donation to the ALS society would be appreciated.
