Bob Bond

Bob O. Bond, age 89, of Roswell passed away in his home Monday October 24, 2016. Visitation will be from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM Tuesday November 1, 2016 at LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Funeral service will be 11:00AM Wednesday November 2, 2016 at the First Presbyterian Church, 400 West Third Street in Roswell. Interment will follow at South Park Cemetery. Pastor Larry Sydow of the First Presbyterian Church will be officiating.
Bob was born to Elwood Tarlton and Betty I. Bond on June 12, 1927 in El Paso, Texas. After they moved to a cattle ranch south of Corona NM. Bob started his deep desire to learn about the health problems of livestock and horses.
Bob graduated from Corona High School in 1946. Followed by two years as company clerk for the 483rd Veterinary Food Inspection Detachment. With an assignment to the 53rd Quartermaster Depot in Munich, Germany.
In the fall of 1948, he enrolled at Colorado A&M (now Colorado State University) Ft. Collins, Colorado in the pre veterinary curriculum. Accepted to veterinary school in the fall of 1950. At the time the veterinary school accepted only 60 students. Forty of the students had to be from Colorado and the other 20 from states west of the Mississippi.
It soon became evident that one had to be sure that veterinary medicine was what you wanted to pursue.
Perhaps the most memorable and respected thing in veterinary school was the honor system. It became part of your way of life and became offended if it was not respected in school and out.
Bob received his DVM degree, June 11, 1954. His Colorado Veterinary License, #985 on June 15, 1954. His New Mexico Veterinary License, #44 on July 12, 1954. And his Arizona veterinary license #222 on July 16, 1954.
He married Donna L. McNear on September 6, 1953 in Sterling, Colorado. They then moved from Ft. Collins, Colorado to a cattle ranch north of Carrizozo, New Mexico. That is where we ranched and opened a veterinary practice.
While in Lincoln County, Dr. Bond was active in the New Mexico Farm and Livestock Bureau. Served as chairman of the local Mid County Farm Bureau for Carrizozo, Ancho, and Capitan. And was one of the original board of directors in establishing the Lincoln County Fair.
In the early years Brucellosis testing kept Bob the busiest. "Dr. Bob" learned that Dr. Charles Webster was looking for an extra veterinarian. Shortly after their first meeting Dr. Webster brought him on board November 1957.
Dr. Bond took over the Large Animal Clinic in 1963 leading to a long and fruitful career in Roswell. During this time, he received a pilot's license in 1961 and was able to fly to many of the ranches. He remained at the same location until 1992 followed by several years working mobile.
Various cattle feedlots and Roswell Livestock kept him in his boots for most of the 1960's and 1970's. Aware that stress and weight loss are major problems in truck transporting of livestock. He became interested in looking into airlifting of cattle. January 1972 offered an opportunity to go with an airplane load of replacement heifers. Loading from Albert Mitchell ranch, Amarillo, Texas to unloading at Parker Ranch, Kamulea, Hawaii. Upon the return of Dr. Bond and cattle to feedlots in the Amarillo area he noticed the weight loss was minimal. From that Dr. Bond was able to help design a portable loading cattle ramp that could adjust to any plane height.
Another one of Dr. Bond's interests were poisonous plants. Spring of 1975, brought a severe outbreak of Red Stemmed Pea Vine that poisoned many cattle and sheep. From this Bob became a part of a research team dealing with the poisonous Red Stemmed Pea Vine plants.
Titled EmoryMilk-Vetch" (Astragalus emoryanus. Var. emoryanus) poisoning in chicks, sheep and cattle. Co-authored by Dr. Bond, Colburn Williams and Lynn F. James, USDA Poison Plant Lab, Logan, Utah. The article published in the American Veterinary Research Journal.
The biggest challenge involved a disaster at a major feedlot resulting in the death of 405 cattle. A poisonous plant, Whorled Milkweed was mixed with green chop alfalfa and fed in the morning. By dark the same day cattle were down and by midmorning the next day 405 animals were dead. This event was a diagnostic challenge which got the FDA involved. Dr. Bond was also asked to do field trials of a calf scour vaccine which is still used. He also did research for the W.R. Grace Company for a feed additive for arriving feedlot cattle.
Honors/Associations
Received the New Mexico Veterinary Medical Association's Distinguished Service Award in 1992.
Member of the AVMA
Former member, New Mexico Veterinary Medical Association
American Equine Practitioner Association
American Small Ruminant Association
American Bovine Practitioners Association
Society for Theriogenoloqy
2000 Co-Grand Marshall of the Eastern New Mexico State Fair Parade
Volunteer Veterinarian for the Eastern New Mexico State Fair
After 51 years in active Veterinary Practice, and with tears in his eyes, Dr. Bob hung up his Veterinarian hat on June 30, 2005.
Dr. Bond said "I have fulfilled my teenage dreams. Along the way making some dear close friends, who refer to me as "Dr. Bob". I thank you all from the bottom of my heart".
Preceded in death by his father and mother Elwood Tarlton and Betty Tuveson-Bond; brother Dimmitt T. Bond and Tarlton J. Bond.
Survived by his wife Donna Bond of the home, of Roswell, NM; son Leland Bond and his wife Sabrina Stone of Los Angeles, CA; daughter Diane DeFranco and her husband Neil De Franco of Roswell, NM; grandchildren Stephanie Louise DeFranco of Roswell, NM, Ryan Neil DeFranco of Lubbock, TX, Madison Taylor Bond of Los Angeles, CA.
Pallbearers will be Ryan Neil DeFranco, Mack Bell, Dan Bell, Mark Brackeen, Lerry Bond, and Mike Bond.
Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Lynn Willard, DVM; Chuck McNear; Dr. Martin L Pattison, DVM; Mr. Mike Hillman; Belia; Kathleena; Guadalupe; Martha; and Regina.

Memorial contributions can go to First Presbyterian Church Deacon Fund or First Methodist Cowbell Scholarship Fund.
Arrangements are under the personal care of LaGrone Funeral Chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.lagronefuneralchapels.com

Visitation

LaGrone Funeral Chapel
900 South Main
Roswell, NM  88203
Tuesday, November 1, 2016
5PM to 7PM

Service

Funeral Service

First Presbyterian Church
400 W. Third St.
Roswell, NM  88201
Wednesday, November 2, 2016
11 AM

Cemetery

South Park Cemetery
3101 S. Main
Roswell, NM  88203