Good-Bye, Dearest Mother
How I've wanted to avoid needing to write the following obituary. My mother was dearly loved, not only by her family, but by so many whose lives she has so profoundly touched over many years. The following words seem wholly inadequate in proportion to her precious life.
Mary Jane Bond 1937-2025
Obituary
Mary Jane Bond, age 87, passed away Lord’s Day morning, February 2, 2025. Delighting at seeing her great grandsons playing out in the snow, she began to speak, then died instantly. Knowing she had a genetic heart condition, she left this life at peace with God, content, and rejoicing in the Lord. She was born March 13, 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri to Nathan and Fredda Jo Baldwin.
Her memorial service is February 15, at 2:00 pm, at Tacoma Bible Presbyterian Church, 6202 S Tyler St. Tacoma WA 98409.
Mary Jane went to R. A. Long High School in Longview, Washington, where she played the cello, and was elected the first female student body president. Christian students in her high school began faithfully witnessing to her and praying for her; in answer to their prayers, she was led to Christ by a local Lutheran pastor. Upon graduation, she was awarded a scholarship to Emmanuel Hospital School of Nursing in Portland, Oregon.
In 1956, she married Douglas Elwood Bond, “the best decision I ever made.” Her husband had to pay back the nursing scholarship. After graduation from college, Douglas was on-loan to the Department of Defense as a systems engineer in the Cold War; they drove across the country to Boston where he began his top-secret work at MIT. She always joyfully embraced her role to respect, encourage, support, and participate in her beloved husband’s work and calling. Later, in support of his leadership in Christian education, she earned a BA in Secondary Education from Pacific Lutheran University in 1970, and an MA at PLU in Counseling and Guidance in 1978; and in 1983, she earned an MA in English at the University of Washington; she was always top or near the top of her class. Mary Jane devotedly cared for her husband through his cancer treatments, daily singing hymns together; always zealous to share Christ with others, she invited doctors and nurses to join in. Her favorite hymn was “Day by Day, and with each passing moment/Strength I find to meet my trials here.” Douglas predeceased his beloved Mary Jane in 2006.
Mary Jane was the second of six siblings, but was mother to them all over many years. Her three brothers predeceased her; she is survived by two sisters, Gayanne (Susie) Jones, and Deborah Joan Reed.
She was a member at Tillicum Baptist Church for forty-eight years, and from 2008 to the present has been a member at Olympia Bible Presbyterian Church.
She was a discussion leader in Bible Study Fellowship, owner and manager of a mobile home park, dorm mother, chief cook, associate professor, school counselor, and owner and manager of their bed and breakfast on Anderson Island. She taught at Tacoma Baptist Schools for many years, and at Washington Baptist Teachers College, and Pierce College. Many of her former students say she was the best teacher they ever had and one of the most important influences in their lives.
Mary Jane considered her most important accomplishment, however, to be helpmeet to her husband and mother of her two children, Tilda Jean Hunter of Olympia, Washington; and Douglas Elwood Bond, Jr., of Port Orchard, Washington. She was grandmother of nine, and great grandmother of nineteen. She was a marvelous oral reader, and raised her own children reading aloud from Shakespeare, Chaucer, and most importantly from the Bible. One of her many favorite Bible verses was, “I have no greater joy than that my children follow in the truth” (II John 4).
(Our last Reuben sandwich together, days before her home-going)
