William "Bill" Bond

William Leon “Bill” Bond, Jr., 87, of Groesbeck, passed away at his home on Monday, June
19th, 2023, with his wife Susan and other family at his side.

A “Celebration of Life” will be held on Saturday, July 8th, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. 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 September 8th, 1935, to William Leon Bond, Sr. and Helen Mabry (Mills) Bond
when Helen went into labor at the racetrack during a trip to Houston, Tx. 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 70’s. 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 seventies. 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 “HiWay 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 September 30th,
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; Megan
Callahan 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