Ellis Addison Bond passed away on April 2, 2023, at the age of 90, at the Togus VA Hospital Hospice Unit in Augusta with his family by his side. He was the son of Ernest and Nancie Sprowl Bond, born at their home on Feb. 21, 1933.
He attended Jefferson Elementary School and Cony High School, where he graduated in 1950. After high school, he enlisted in the Naval Reserve at Augusta in preparation for being drafted during the Korean War. Prior to being called upon by the draft, he also attended Gates Business School in Augusta for one year before enrolling at University of Maine at Orono for two years. While at the University of Maine, he became a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Before active duty, he had trained at Augusta and Bangor U.S. Naval Reserves, as well as being assigned to the Destroyer Escort USS Cross. After being called to active duty, he was assigned as a radarman to the Destroyer Leader Willis A. Lee DL 4, a Frigate class anti-submarine warfare ship. Most of his time was spent training in the Caribbean at Guantanamo Bay doing testing and sea trial runs. One trip to Europe and Asia were for the preparation of things to come.
He was honorably discharged in December of 1956, returning to his recent bride. At that time, they settled in their present home in Jefferson, where they had lived for 67 years. Then he joined the family business, known to many as Bond’s Grocery, and later added in the business of Bond Brothers Hardware and Lumber Supply, with a cousin as co-owner. He purchased the Dow Barn in 1966 from Harold Jones, son-in-law of Harold Dow, for the purpose of expansion of their business adventures.
Ellis was a life member of the First Baptist Church of Jefferson and became active in a variety of associated projects such as the church edifice and preservation, food bank, and more.
Ellis is predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Donna Rogers Bond; and grandson, Austin Bond. He is survived by a son, Scott Bond and his wife, Diane, of Jefferson; a daughter, Stacey and her husband, David Morin, of Augusta; grandchildren, Addison Cox, of Jefferson, Meryl Grady and her husband, Jordon, of Whitefield, and Avery Bond, of Orono; great-grandchildren, Elena Cox and Sawyer Cox, of Warren, and Kendall Grady and Jay Grady, of Whitefield; and many nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ellis’ name to the First Baptist Church of Jefferson at P.O. Box 921, Jefferson, ME 04348 or the Golden Retriever Rescue League at YGRR Inc., 110 Chapin Road, Husdon, MA 01749.
A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 10, 2023 at the Bond Cemetery on East Pond Road in Jefferson, followed by a celebration of Ellis’ life at the First Baptist Church in Jefferson.
Hall’s of Waldoboro has care of the arrangements, to extend online condolences please visit his Book of Memories at hallfuneralhomes.com.
