Richard Bond Obituary
RICHARD BOND Richard "Dick" Bond, a dedicated and active member of the Willows community died peacefully, Friday Feb 15th in his home at the age of 90. He was a past president of Rotary, the Willows Chamber of Commerce, the Telephone Pioneers and Business Manager of the local telephone office before he retired. He was also a member of the Elks, and a 50+ year member of Chico Leland Stanford Masonic Lodge No. 111. Dick was born in Sacramento on August 4, 1928 to Richard Ancil Bond and Lillian Mugford Langdon Bond. Dick spent his early years growing up in Redding active in almost every sport, as well as hunting and fishing. After high school he attended 2 semesters of Sacramento City College, played minor league baseball and raced boats competitively. He worked 3 years as a lineman for the Pacific Telephone Company until he was drafted by the army in 1950 during the Korean War. He returned home going right back to work with Pac Bell. In 1953 Dick married JoAnne Leslie, also from Redding. They had three children; their oldest, Susan and a year later twins, James and Janice. He worked in the Chico business office of Pacific Telephone until 1963 when he was promoted to manage the Business office in Willows. He and JoAnne bought and have lived in the same house on Plumas Street for 55 years. Dick had a wide variety of interests and accomplishments. An avid hunter, he traveled around the world, from the Alaskan wilderness to an African safari. As a passionate fisherman, he fished four different continents, in one instance tracing the Rainbow trout from Northern CA to New Zealand. Dick was also a lifelong golfer, even driving a hole in one on Good Friday at the Glenn Country Club. Everywhere he went, he'd be sure to visit a Rotary Club, racking up 30 years of perfect attendance and getting to know the locals. Once, on vacation in Australia, he and JoAnne spontaneously helped paint the kitchen of a dairy farmer who had invited them to dinner. He always paid it forward helping others. Dick leaves behind his wife of 66 years, his children and their spouses; Sue and Forrest Weiland, Jim and Lori Bond, and Jan and Jess Smith plus three grandchildren; Sarah and Hannah Bond, and Ben Weiland. And, of course, his chocolate lab Cookie. There will be a gathering on Saturday March 2nd at La Cascada Mexican Restaurant, 458 N. Humboldt Ave. in Willows beginning at 11:30. Please join us and his family to remember and celebrate his life.
Published by Chico Enterprise-Record on Feb. 26, 2019.