Donna Bond

Donna L. Bond, age 84, passed away in her home Wednesday February
22, 2017. Visitation will be from 5 PM to 7 PM Wednesday March 1, 2017. Funeral service will be
11:00 AM Thursday March 2, 2017. Held at the First Presbyterian Church, 400 West Third Street
in Roswell. Interment will follow at South Park Cemetery. Pastor Larry Sydow of the First
Presbyterian Church will be officiating.
Donna was born September 25, 1932 in Sterling, Colorado. She was the first of three children
that Clarence Glen and Hazel Muriel McNear would have. Donna lived on a farm outside of
Padroni, Colorado. They raised alfalfa, sugar beets, corn, and hundreds of chickens.
Donna went to Padroni School. It was a large 2 story brick building with all 12 grades and a
gym. As a student she was active in music events, choir and cheerleading. Donna's ambition
was to become a dietitian and later wishing she had studied finance. Her first love was
gardening and music.
In the fall of 1950 she started college at Colorado State University. The next fall (1951-1952)
Donna didn't go back to college. Instead she worked at The Ordinance Depot, in Sydney,
Nebraska, as a clerk-typist. After saving enough money she returned to college in the fall of
1952 as a business major.
It was at College Days that she met her future husband Bob Bond. Bob invited Donna to
Elitches Ballroom in Denver to a senior veterinary dance. He had arranged this dance with a
group of his veterinary friends. They were going to celebrate completing 4 years of college. The
thing is that she decided not to go. So, that was her first and final date.
The truth is she declined him because she was worried that if she went on a date with him and
liked him, she would have to move to New Mexico.
Bob gets back in touch with Donna once again, and the whirlwind romance takes off. They
dated the spring of 1953. That summer Bob and Donna went to New Mexico to meet his
parents. It was there that Bob asked Donna (the short one) to marry him she said yes. Love was
in the air and marriage plans for September 6, 1953 were in the works.
After college and the wedding Donna and Bob moved to a little one room house (Coyote) north
of Carrizozo, NM. Newlyweds Dr. and Mrs. Bob Bond were busy starting their veterinary
practice. The first thing Donna did was find a place to plant flowers and a garden. The garden
was a thing of beauty. They lived at Coyote from the summer of 1954 until November 1957.
Job opportunities opened for Bob and Donna in Roswell working for Dr. Charles Webster. At the
same time they were expecting a little "Bond". Donna was to pregnant to travel to Roswell, so
they made the decision to buy property in North Roswell. This being done without Donna, now
that's trust. It was on the out-skirts of town on a tree-lined street surrounded by fields of alfalfa
and cotton. This was their home for 64 years.
Little "Leland Bond" was was born October 3 1957 in Carrizozo NM. Donna and Bob packed
there belongings (dogs, cats and Leland) and moved to Roswell November 15, 1957. So much
work was being done on the property that I can't even begin to go into that. Fast forward to
August 9, 1961 we welcomed our precious baby daughter, Diane Frances Bond.
Many wonderful years of nurturing and raising the family was Donna top priority. She so enjoyed
being a part of the kids life and helping Bob with the business. With all that was going on in
those years Donna still made time to follow her passions. Her joy of gardening and playing the
piano brought smiles to all. Walking around the garden you had the joy of experiencing her
green thumb. People would walk away with a genuine sense of calm happiness.
Later in life Donna had the privilege of having 3 grandchildren. There are no words to say what
joy they brought her. I would venture to say that all the grandchildren have a soft spot in their
heart for their grandmother. Optimism, humor and the ability to give unconditional love were
always abundant. Those character traits and feelings hold true for everyone that crossed her
path.
Donna was a Deacon of the First Presbyterian Church, the Extension Club, Cowbells, and was interested in Genealogy.
She is preceded in death by her husband Bob O. Bond; her parents Clarence and Hazel McNear.
She is survived by her son Leland Bond and his wife Sabrina Stone, granddaughter Madison Bond of Los Angeles, CA; daughter Diane DeFranco and her husband Neil, granddaughter Stephanie DeFranco, Grandson Ryan DeFranco of Roswell, NM; brother Chuck McNear and his wife Jan of Moreland, GA; sister Nora Brunner and her husband Jim of Chino, CA.
Pallbearers will be Lerry Bond, Mike Bond, Mack Bell, Dan Bell, Kyler Bell, and Ryan DeFranco.
Memorial Contributions may be made in Donna's name to the First Presbyterian Church Deacon Fund, 400 W Third St, Roswell, NM 88201 or the First United Methodist Cowbell Scholarship Fund, 200 N. Pennsylvania Ave, Roswell, NM 88201.
Even in the pain she experienced for the last years she would always ask how are you doing or can I do anything for you. A more gracious caring person you will not find. Donna the wife, mother, grandmother, and friend will be so missed.

Visitation

Visitation

LaGrone Funeral Chapel
900 South Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Wednesday, March 1, 2017
5 PM to 7 PM

Service

Funeral

First Presbyterian Church
400 West Third Street
Roswell, NM  88201
Thursday, March 2, 2017
11:00 AM

Cemetery

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203

Memorial Contributions

First Presbyterian Church Deacon Fund
400 W Third St.
Roswell, NM  88201

First United Methodist Cowbell Scholarship Fund
200 N Pennsylvania Ave
Roswell, NM  88201