Katherine "Kathie" Bond

Munising

 Katherine “Kathie” Anne Bond, age 86, of Munising, died Sunday, October 13, 2024 at Brookridge Memory Care in Marquette. She was born on May 29, 1938 in Stambaugh, Michigan to the late Peter and Marie (Andersen) Pedo. Kathie attended Couzens Grade School and then graduated from Stambaugh High School in 1956. She attended the University of Michigan in the nursing program and later earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Northern Michigan University in 1988. Kathie’s hard work ethics were instilled at a young age by working at her family store, Pedo Grocery Store and waitressing in the summers. While in high school on the tennis court, she met Ward. On November 28, 1959, Kathie married Ward J. “Nick” Bond. Kathie and Ward were married fifty-six years when he preceded her in death in 2015. Their marriage was filled with love, adventure, faith, and heartache. They were blessed with two children, Michael Ward Bond and Heather Marie Bond. Kathie and Ward experienced the great sorrow that all parents fear, with the death of their son Michael in 1977 to only experience that tragedy again in 1981 when Heather died. Kathie and Ward’s love for each other and their faith in God gave them the strength to move forward to serve the people in their community in so many ways. 

In 1971, Kathie purchased the LaFemme Dress Shop and owned and operated it while working alongside her mother as she sold fabric and gave sewing lessons in the store until 1983. Kathie and Ward were also partners in the Hasty Tasty ice cream shop in Munising and opened the Dairy Freeze in Escanaba. Kathie’s work history also involved Department of Social Services as a case worker, real estate agent for Century 21 and Coldwell Bankers, and AFLAC Insurance agent. With her nursing degree, Kathie worked at a number of different doctors’ offices, Marquette General Hospital on the orthopedic floor, Munising Memorial Hospital, a home health nurse for North Woods Home Health, and a diabetes educator. She also tied her medical degree and social working background in creating a medical case management company for helping people with auto and OWCP injury claims. Kathie and Ward also enjoyed breeding Collies, Shelties, and English Springer Spaniels.

Kathie’s volunteer activities included being a member of the Good Sheperd Lutheran Church of which she was a council member, trustee, and treasurer. She helped begin the retail division of the Chamber of Commerce of which she was a board member and president for one year. She was an active member in Kiwanis where she was past president, vice-president, treasurer and volunteered countless hours of fundraising for scholarships, Adopt-a-Highway cleanups, trail cleanup, and planting community flowers. 

Kathie had a love for music. She sang with Marquette Choral Society where she was an officer and treasurer, performed with the Superior Shores Chorale, and played trumpet in the Peter Jonas Community Band. When it came to music, if she wasn’t singing or playing, Kathie was dancing. Concerts in the Park, Gallery Coffee, and Falling Rock Cafe concerts always had Kathie up front dancing along to the music and inviting others to get up and join. Even while using a walker at Brookridge, when the music started, she would ditch the walker and dance away. Kathie was a busy body who had bottomless energy. She would run circles around her younger friends like the Energizer Bunny and light up the room. Into her eighties she would show off her energy by kicking her leg up over her head like a Rockette just to show she could. 

Kathie’s energy, service to others, shining example love and faith will be missed by all who knew her.

She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law – Sue and John Cocco of Stambaugh; nieces and nephews – Chad (Ruby) Cocco, Elyse (Noah Guttell) Cocco, JoAnn Hill, Jim (Donna) Bond, David (Debra) Bond, and Ken (Cindy) Bond; special cousin – Margie (Jim) McCarthy; and dear friends and neighbors Becky and Jim Schierschmidt. Kathie was preceded in death by her husband Ward, son Michael, daughter Heather, and parents Peter and Marie.

Visitation will be on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Munising from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Rev. Dr. Fred Rogers will conduct Kathie’s memorial service at 12:00 at the church. Interment will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery. 

Memorials in Kathie’s name may be made to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church of Munising, Peter Jonas Community Band, or Kiwanis of Alger County, P.O. Box 364, Munising, MI 49862.