Mr. Steven Lee Bond

Steven Lee Bond’s Celebration of Life will be held on October 1, 2024, at Luke 418 Fellowship Church at 2664 Sollie Road, Mobile, Alabama 36695. The family will receive visitors at 10 AM, and the service will begin at 11 AM. Born in Louisville, Kentucky in March 1951, Steven Lee Bond passed away on September 8, 2024, in Mobile, Alabama. He’d fought a long, hard fight against liver disease, but the gray hair he had when he went was at least partially related to raising his two (feisty) daughters, Sarah and Rebecca, in partnership with his beloved (also feisty) wife Patricia. Thankfully he never turned his children out on the street, even when they snuck out of the house or wrecked their third car, and his patience was rewarded with son-in-law Scot, grandson Colt, and granddaughter Cayden. (Along with a menagerie of grand-pets too numerous to list). Steven’s journey in life began as the son of Lee and Peggy Bond, and his role expanded to big brother when Keith and Greg were welcomed into the family a few years later. He attended Frazier Elementary, Alice Waller Elementary, and Pleasure Ridge Junior High schools before arriving at Fairdale High School in 1966, where he played on the football team, wore his hair longer than his dad probably liked, and met his future wife on a blind date for homecoming their junior year. From an early age, Steve became a rabid University of Kentucky fan, cheering for its basketball and football teams, and later he instilled that passion with his daughters—although they both channeled that passion into SEC rival LSU (Geaux Tigers!) as each obtained their graduate degrees from that flagship university. After graduating high school in 1969, Steve attended community college for a short time before moving onto a variety of jobs, at least one of which he once described to his younger daughter with “Well, it paid the bills.” In 1972, he and Patricia got married, and three years later, the couple welcomed their first daughter Sarah Beth. Almost five years later, the three became four when Rebecca Hope was born (after a frantic drive from Bowling Green to Louisville so Rebecca could claim that town as her birthright). In 1983, the family moved from Kentucky to Mobile, Alabama, and in 1986, Steven joined Ozark Insurance Agency, a business he grew over the next forty years. That job helped get his daughters through high school and college while it also provided extra support for Sarah while she earned her law degree and for Rebecca while she completed her doctoral program. Steve had many loyal clients who bought insurance from his agency, and many of those clients became Steve’s friends, not surprisingly as it seemed whomever Steve encountered, they found themselves drawn to his wit and genuine kindness. Steven was immensely proud of his two daughters, even though he claimed they inherited their “smarts” from their mother. He might have sold himself short on “smarts,” but he was devoted to showing up for his children, whether it was selling popcorn during a play’s intermission, teaching Sarah to drive a stick shift, or sharing the music of his youth with Rebecca. In addition to being a husband and father, Steve was an uncle, brother, and brother-in-law to nieces and nephews and brothers and sisters in his own and Patricia’s family. Steve and his brothers, Keith and Greg, liked to play cribbage together whenever they were reunited, and they had many good times over that game board, reminiscing about days of their youth. Steve also developed lifelong relationships with his extended family, from discussions about how UK should have won the game, to jokes about politics, to pranks or “gotchas” he liked to play on that extended family. Even at the end of his life here on Earth, many of Patricia’s family were there to tell him good-bye and to let him know that they would make sure his beloved wife, children, and grandchildren would be taken care of. Steve was a man of deep faith. His belief in Jesus was evident in how he treated everyone he met. Steve was a friend to many, always expressing his belief that no matter what was happening, everything was going to be all right. He looked for others to help constantly, asking if he needed to stay late, arrive early, who needed prayer, or how he could help, either with his time or his wallet. His kindness and genuineness extended to his daughters’ circle of friends, as many of them noticed how Steve was always there, showing up and supporting his family’s adventures. Even at Sarah’s engagement party, Steve had to make a run for additional “libations” as Sarah’s Louisiana friends went through the supply purchased for the party in relatively short order; to this day, the legend of Steve lives on through his quickness to respond and to go get what was needed for people whom his daughter loved. In short, if you were a friend to Sarah or Rebecca, you were in Steve’s circle too, and he would do what he could to make sure you felt included. As devoted as Steve was to his kids, his faith, and his career, perhaps no one saw more of that devotion than those who saw Steve with his grandchildren. Steve earned the role of “Granddaddy” in 2007 when Colt Thomas was born, and that title again was installed when Cayden Blake was born in 2010. Granddaddy adored both of them, perhaps more than his own two kids (and neither could blame him), and he spent the gift of time he had by showing up and staying in their lives, no matter what either were doing. Whether it was birthday parties, swim meets, little league baseball or softball games, little league basketball games, club volleyball, school basketball, volleyball, and softball, or travel baseball or softball games, Granddaddy was there, more often than not, even if that meant driving across the country for tournaments (no exaggeration), wakeup calls before dawn or late drives home after 15 plus hours at the ball field on Sunday nights. Granddaddy always had drinks, snacks, favorite candy, and most importantly, words of encouragement for Colt and Cayden as they pursued life lessons in the games and teams they played on and for. Granddaddy also made sure he encouraged and rewarded their hard work and success in academics. As with his kids, when Colt and Cayden made friends with their teammates or fellow students, those kids became part of Granddaddy’s life too, as he loved cheering and encouraging them on too. Of course, Steve’s devotion to all of those who knew and loved him was deeply rooted in his love and deep affection for his wife of 50 plus years, Patricia Jane. Steve and Patricia embarked on a remarkable journey together as high school sweethearts, to husband and wife, son-in-law and daughter-in-law, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, mom and dad, aunt and uncle, and then the grand finale of Bella and Granddaddy. They had ups and downs, like any normal marriage, but they never gave up on each other nor on their union. They shared wonderful memories together, from living down the street when they were first married from Steve’s parents, weekends and good times at Patricia’s family’s camp on Nolin Lake in Kentucky, their new and lasting adventure in Mobile, Alabama where they raised their daughters and where both grandchildren were born, to traveling and chasing their grandkids around the southeast and beyond for sporting events, too countless to mention. As Steve’s disease progressed rapidly towards the end, Patricia cared lovingly and with tremendous effort for him, helping him fight the agony of that disease to stay as long as he could with her and with the family he loved. Steven Lee Bond was preceded in death by his parents, Lee (1981) and Margaret “Peggy” Bond (2004) and his brother Joseph (1953). Steve is survived by his wife, Patricia Jane Bond, his daughter Sarah Bond Dorger and son-in-law Scot Dorger, his daughter Rebecca Hope Bond, and grandchildren Colt Thomas and Cayden Blake Dorger. He also is survived by his brothers Keith (Janaye) Bond and Greg (Cindy) Bond, and their children, Lauren Anderson (Joe), Leslie Lally (Brandon), Brant Bond, and Paige Bond (nieces and nephews) and also great-nieces and nephews. On Patricia’s side, Steve is survived by his mother-in-law, Stella Potts (Thomas deceased in 1986), his brother and sisters in law, Bill (Kathy) Potts, Faye (Ed) Philpot, Joyce (Bobby) Harris, Kenneth (Joyce) Potts, and Evelyn (Phil) Rogers, their children, Michael (Amanda) Potts, Jenny (Willy) Leung, Christopher Potts, Stacy Buckles (Darek), Brian (Samantha) Harris, Jeremy Harris, Kathryn Potts, Matthew (Bailey) Rogers, and Jamie (Clay) Harvischak and countless great-nieces and nephews, one great-great-niece, other extended family, and countless friends and colleagues. The family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to the Retreat by Saad’s Hospice, whose staff cared for Steve in the last few days of his life on Earth. They treated him with dignity and respect, and they ministered to Steve’s family and friends, as they all got precious time with Steve to say goodbye. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Tunnel to Towers, t2t.org, or to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, ifcj.com, in Steve’s honor. Even in his death, Steve would want loved ones to help others who need it more than him. If anything could be said about Steve’s life, it would be his unwavering belief in Jesus and that we were put here on Earth to help each other, as we are all God’s children. Believe like Steve, and you will never be disappointed in the outcome. Unless, of course, you're a Louisville fan. Go Big Blue

Mr. Steven Lee Bond

March 3, 1951 - September 8, 2024