Former Missouri Governor Kit Bond Dies at 86
Former Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond has died at the age of 86, Governor Mike Kehoe announced Tuesday. Bond, who passed away May 13 in St. Louis, leaves behind a legacy of more than 40 years in public service.
“Kit Bond was a skilled statesman, public servant, and a man who truly loved Missouri. I am blessed to have known Kit and honored to call him a friend and a mentor,” Kehoe said in a statement. He praised Bond’s “trademark smile and sense of humor,” and called him “a fierce advocate for Missouri throughout his accomplished 40-year career of public service. Kit kept Missouri’s interests at heart, both in office and out, making our state a better place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Bond’s impact extended to Missouri’s business community. Brad Jones, NFIB Missouri State Director, lauded Bond as “an unwavering supporter of Missouri’s entrepreneurs” during his time as Chairman of the Senate Small Business Committee. “Senator Bond was a true statesman who will be missed but never forgotten,” Jones said.
Bond was born in St. Louis on March 6, 1939. He graduated from Princeton University and the University of Virginia Law School, practiced law in Washington, DC, and returned to Missouri in 1967. He made a home in Mexico, Mo. and after serving as assistant attorney general in 1969, he was elected State Auditor in 1970. Bond became the state’s youngest governor in 1973, serving two nonconsecutive terms (1973-1977 and 1981-1985). Elected to the U.S. Senate in 1986, he served until 2011.
Kehoe ordered flags at government buildings across Missouri to be flown at half-staff until Bond’s funeral. Details on services will be announced by Kehoe’s office.
“Serving the people of Missouri was the honor of my life,” Bond often said. His legacy as a favorite son endures.
–Metro Voice
