William Leon ‘Bill’ Bond Jr.
William Leon “Bill” Bond Jr., 87, of Groesbeck, passed away at his home on Monday, June 19, 2023, with his wife Susan and other family at his side.
A “Celebration of Life” will be held at 9 a.m. Saturday, July 8, under the trees at the family house (1570 LCR 786, Groesbeck). Please come with your stories and memories to share at this celebration. Call 254-645-1141 for questions or directions.
Bill was born Sept. 8, 1935, to William Leon Bond Sr. and Helen Mabry (Mills) Bond when Helen went into labor at the racetrack during a trip to Houston. During Bill’s early school years the family lived in Houston before moving back to Groesbeck. In school he was active in football, basketball and baseball, and graduated in the class of 1953. Bill began college at the University of Texas and transferred to Baylor University during his final year where he earned a bachelor’s degree.
Throughout the years his two daughters and son were born, Bill worked in various towns before returning home to live in Groesbeck with his family in the early 1970s. While there, he coached Little League, coaching and mentoring his son “Little Bill” and many other boys in town. The lifelong relationships he developed with those boys were always special to him. Another interest of Bill’s was his dogs. He always had a few dogs at home and also raised field-trial beagle hounds. He was proud of owning a Field-Trial National Champion.
Bill was a drug representative with Ross Laboratories and Abbott for most of his career. He moved to Austin in the mid-1970s. There he soon developed a love for sailing, continuing a passion for boats that began while working at Fort Parker Lake in high school. Bill and his children spent most weekends sailing on Lake Travis and racing in the many regattas held on the lake. Bill had several sailboats through the years and all were named “Hi-Way Cafe.” His interest in sailing eventually developed into ocean-sailing. When Bill retired from Ross Laboratories he and his daughter, Kathy, spent an adventurous time together sailing his boat to the Virgin Islands where Bill and his boat called home at the St. Thomas Yacht Club. For several years Bill “commuted” between St Thomas, Groesbeck, Austin and various ports in the U.S. often joined by friends and family.
Bill met his future wife Susan in Austin and they were married in Austin on Sept. 30, 1983. Bill taught Susan to sail and they lived several months each year on the boat in the Virgin Islands. Sadly, in 1989, the “HiWay Cafe” was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo. Bill and Susan moved back to Groesbeck, built their home and took up ranching full-time, growing the business Bill’s father started. While Groesbeck was home, Bill and Susan continued their travels, making many trips throughout the United States, Mexico and in Europe. Bill ultimately grew his father’s cattle business into international sales and travels to Mexico. His son took over the management of the ranch a few years ago.
Bill was always an avid reader and collector of books, which led to the opening of Bond Book Store, in the building that had once been his father’s dry goods store. This was his “office” where he enjoyed meeting and talking with everyone. He spent many happy hours talking, debating and solving the world’s problems with his “book club” buddies, until a few years ago when the old “sand-brick” building finally collapsed. He continued his business at home selling books through the internet.
Bill was preceded in death by his father in 1981 and his mother in 2010.
Bill is survived by his wife, Susan (Pipkin) Bond, FNP, of Groesbeck; son, William Bond III, of Groesbeck; daughter and son-in-law, Elizabeth and Rex Hall, of Austin; daughter, Kathryn Helen Bond, of San Marcos; stepson and his wife, Nathan and Stacey Orrick, of Edgewood. The grandchildren are Will Hall of Austin; Philip Dutrisac and wife Claire of Asburn, Va.; MeganCallahan of New Braunfels; Kacie and her husband, Scott Fuller of Austin; step-grandchildren, Allie Orrick and Abbie Orrick of Edgewood; and five great-grandchildren, Sebastian Luna and Sofia Luna, both of New Braunfels, and Hadley Dutrisac, Sawyer Dutrisac, and Holly Dutrisac, all of Ashburn, Va.
In lieu of flowers, anyone who wishes to make donations in Bill’s memory can do so at LARAS House in Mexia, by going to: https://gofund. me/07650fbe Visit www.groesbeckfuneralhome. com to leave messages of condolence on the guestbook.
