Herbert E. Bond

Herbert E. Bond, 89, retired Ware County Sheriff died Friday morning at Mayo Clinic Health System at Waycross following a lengthy illness. He was a native of Pierce County but had made his home in Ware County since 1941. He and his wife, the late Allie E. Steedley Bond, were married in 1943 and together they celebrated 70 years of marriage until her death in 2013. He was the son of the late Francis H. Bond and Lula Gill Bond. He was also preceded in death by a sister, Rosalee Barnard Lyons, and brothers James Roy Bond, Willie Edward Bond, and Robert Walter Barnard. He attended public schools in Pierce and Wayne Counties and served with the United States Navy from 1943 until 1945 during World War 2. He began his career in Law Enforcement in September of 1951 with the Waycross Police Department and worked his way up through the ranks to Chief of Police, a position he held for 9 years. He served with the Waycross Police Department for a total of 29 ½ years. He was elected Sheriff of Ware County in 1980 and served 4 consecutive terms until retiring in 1997. He was the only person in Waycross and Ware County history to serve as both Chief of the Waycross Police Department and Sheriff of Ware County. He served as Sheriff longer than anyone else in Ware County History. He graduated from the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville in Louisville KY. He also attended South Georgia College at Douglas, GA and The University of Georgia Off Campus Center in Waycross. He graduated from LaSalle Extension University of Chicago, IL earning a degree in American Law and Procedure, graduated from The Institute of Applied Science in Chicago and from over a hundred other schools and training seminars in Law Enforcement. Sheriff Bond was an active member of Second Baptist Church, having served and worshiped there for over 60 years. He served as deacon and as deacon chairman on several occasions. He had also served as Sunday School Director, Training Union Director, and served in the adult choir for many years. He was a member of the Senior Adult Men's Sunday School Class. He was a member of the Georgia Peace Officer Association, was member Emeritus of Frank C. Folks Lodge # 192 F & AM, Waycross Chapter Number 9 Royal Arch Masons, Waycross Commandery # 36, Knights Templar, Albany Consistory of the Scottish Rite Masons, a Shriner and member of the Hasan Temple of Albany, The Waycross Shrine Club, and was a 43 years member of the Waycross Exchange Club. Sheriff Bond had been honored and recognized numerous times over the years for his accomplishments including the 1963 Exchange Club Officer of the Year, the Law Enforcement Commendation Medal for Outstanding Achievement and Dedication to the maintenance of Law and Order by the National Society of the American Revolution, the Woodmen of The World Outstanding Citizen Award in 1982, the Waycross and Ware County Bar Association's Liberty Bell Award for Good Law Enforcement, the Merit Award in Education for Excellence in Leadership and Public Service to all Ware Countians by the Ware County Educators Scholarship Fund, Inc., the Waycross Exchange Clubs' Book of Golden Deeds in 2011, and had been recognized on many occasions by the Georgia Sheriff's Association for Outstanding and Unselfish service to the Georgia Sheriff's Youth Homes. Survivors include a daughter, Cecilia McDermott (husband John J.) of Waycross; a son Randy Bond (wife Bonita) of Dixie Union; 4 grandchildren, Randa Bond and Dustin Bond (wife Lori) of Dixie Union, April Daoust (husband Micheal) and Emily McDermott of Waycross; 6 great grandchildren, Joey Williams, Hunter Forsyth, Alexis Bond, and Ericka Bond all of Dixie Union, Hope Lynn and Khloe Daoust both of Waycross; a brother, Carl Rudolph Bond (wife Pat) of Pierce County, a sister in law Aline Sikes of Waycross, numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives, and his pet Boston Terrier, Deputy Dog. A Funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM Tuesday (May 12, 2015) at Second Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Oakland Cemetery. Area Public Safety Personnel, the Senior Adult Sunday School Class, the Waycross Exchange Club and Frank C. Folks Lodge # F & A.M. are asked to gather at the church at 10:30 AM Tuesday to serve as honorary pallbearers. The family will receive friends from 6:00 until 9:00 Monday evening at Music Funeral Home. Sympathy can be expressed by signing the online registry at www.musicfuneralhome.com. Music Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.