Friends and loved ones from Gilroy to Davis to Nebraska to Switzerland cherish the memory of Freda Bond, who passed away peacefully on March 13, 2009, shortly before her 88th birthday.
Born in a cheese factory, Freda was the youngest, and most artistic, of the three children of Theresia and Melchior “Mike” Blaettler. As a teen, she traded a life of running the poppy-covered hills of Gilroy for San Francisco, where she met and married Ted Bond, enjoying “the good life” together for 64 years. Freda shared both her strength and compassion with her sons, Steve Bond and Alan M. Bond, and loved her daughters-in-law, Shari Rifas and Elaine Bond, like her own. Seeing her grandchildren – Jesse J. Bond, Maggie Bond, and Hannah Bond – mature into responsible adults was one of her life’s greatest joys. Country girl, city girl, wife, mother, grandmother … Freda’s brother, William “Bill” Blaettler stood by her all the way.
A celebration of Freda’s life will be held at her home in Gilroy on Sunday, March 22, at 1:00 P.M.