Raymond Bond

Raymond Bond was born in Dewey, Oklahoma on August 11, 1938 and he passed to his eternal home on August 26, 2021. The family will miss him greatly but are so glad that he was reunited with his sweetheart Lela who passed May 31, 2021.

Ray’s family moved to California when he was a child and it was there that he met Lela Underwood, whom he married in 1958. Ray worked as a steel scaffolder in the Bay Area and Lela attended junior college and stayed home as they started a family. In 1969 Ray went to Alaska to find work and new opportunities. And, in 1970 he loaded the families belongings up and with four children, 3 daughters and a son, they made their way to Alaska. Another son joined the family in 1971. As an avid hunter and fisherman Alaska was a “living the dream” to him and the last frontier was a land of opportunity.

Ray lived a life of generosity and service and was active with Lela in children’s ministry at First Baptist Church, and Rabbit Creek Community Church, both in Anchorage, and First Baptist Church in Willow, Alaska. Ray and Lela were also involved with Child Evangelism Fellowship. In all of these ministries Lela taught the lesson and Ray, who had a huge heart for kids, would pitch in to help things run smoothly.

In 1976 they started R & R Scaffold Erectors in Anchorage and Ray made friends in the construction industry all over the state. He was brilliant at building complex scaffold’s in all kinds of challenging circumstances. They owned the company until 2003 when they retired and built their dream home in Willow, Alaska, on Long Lake. They put up a sign “Bond’s Backyard” and the house became a place where many memories were made with kids, grandkids, and friends.

In 2016 Ray and Lela moved to Wimberley, Texas to live near one of their daughters and son-in-law’s. Ray loved their community at First Baptist Church and still attended services and often Sunday school throughout the past few months. He found joy, even in hard times, especially in the great-grand kids. When he was missing Lela he could often be heard saying, “bring me a baby!”

Raymond was survived by his daughter Rhonda Littrell and husband Mark, daughter Sue Floyd and husband Craig, daughter Pam Drake and husband Bob, son Dan Bond and wife Marty Seidel Bond, and son David Bond and wife Jen. Grandkids; Jeff, Garrett, Scott, Jillian, Robin, Sara, Hannah, Amber, Raymond, Dale, Mackenzie, Megan, and Ali. And, great-grandkids; Kellan, Desmond, Ro, Charlotte, Judy, Fiona, Foster, Hudson, Aurora, and Ryder. Also, sisters-in-law Wilma Miller and Martha Cocherell, brother-in-law Bud Cocherell and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held at a future date when the family can come together.