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By Ron P. Coderre
In the heyday of newspapers, some 50 to 60 years ago, Putnam and surrounding towns had the luxury, if you will, of having four true journalistic writers or reporters, depending on one’s interpretation.
There was Lou Edman, a syndicated columnist, who took freedom of the press to its highest degree.
Writing at one time or another for the Norwich Bulletin and Hartford Courant was Charlie LaFreniere, who was known to sit at the keyboard following a few libations. LaFreniere would always close a column with his familiar tagline, “Have another martini, Jeannie,” a toast to his wife.
The Worcester Telegram & Gazette, with a Putnam office first on Livery St. and later on Bundy St., boasted of Brown University grad Bernie Dupont and his Along The Border column, which took no prisoners and held everyone hostage.
Then there was a neophyte “cub” reporter who joined the terrible trio making it into a fearsome foursome. That young reporter was Don Bond, who quickly learned the nefarious skills of his older counterparts. The foursome was known to gather together frequently over a cool one and discuss matters they deemed important, mostly local politics. They either became the best friend or the bane of the existence of local politicians.
On Thursday, June 27, the man that many affectionately referred to as “Bondo” died at Rhode Island Hospital where he was transported following his collapse into unconsciousness while covering a meeting in Sterling. Still working as a freelancer for the Norwich Bulletin, the last of the “old fashion” reporting quartet was gone, leaving a void that will probably never be recaptured in the annals of newspapers in Putnam and northeastern Connecticut.
Upon hearing of Bond’s death memories of the past flashed back through my mind. More personal memories than I ever realized. For five decades as I soon came to understand, Don Bond and I had crossed paths and worked together or been friends more often than I ever imagined.
When Bond was a young reporter I was a young and aspiring politician, sitting on the Putnam City Council. Meeting in the town hall, we became acquainted to the point where I was always comfortable stopping by the Norwich Bulletin office in Putnam to “shoot the breeze.” Although we were friends, he was never averse, in his subtle barbed ways, of chastising me and my Democratic cohorts in the press. We often chided him, when he was taking our photographs, whether he had film in the camera or not.
Despite our sometimes differences, he thought highly enough of me as a person that he asked my assistance in coaching the Putnam American Legion baseball team from 1971 through 1974. It was also Bond who convinced me to write my column, Ramblings, Points and Comments, for the Journal Transcript, where he was editor among his many other duties. The column temporarily became On The Line.
I guess he thought enough of my friendship to ask me to be his “best man” when he got married for the second of his three nuptials. This duty that I performed for him, which is known only to the few who attended, was often discussed whenever we met for years on end.
As I moved on to a career as the Vice President for Development and Public Relations at Day Kimball Hospital, it was “Bondo” who was the life of the party at our annual DKH Press Nite. Many an evening we closed various establishments talking politics, sports or whatever, often with the other members of his quartet.
He was a stalwart in the effort to maintain the strength of the Tommy Toy Fund, which he was instrumental in originating. When he wanted to boost the Tommy Toy Fund presence in northeastern Connecticut, just a few years ago, he once again turned to his longtime friend. I couldn’t say no to “Bondo” although with his salty language he encouraged me with expletives that can’t be mentioned here.
So it is with these personal memories that I bid farewell to a friend I never realized I had so much contact with until I sat to write this piece. He made me proud when he rescued the Killingly-Brooklyn Springtime Festival and when he was also honored by the Northeastern Connecticut Chamber of Commerce with the George Racine Humanitarian Award. Although there was cajoling with the Tommy Toy Fund, it’s an experience I’m pleased I agreed to do for my friend.
Donald K. Bond Sr., a man who graced this earth for 70 plus years is gone. The stories of his journalistic expertise will be embellished as the years pass, however many a young reporter who studied under him will be able to say, “Bondo taught me to do it the correct way.”
Newspaper reporting will never be the same in Putnam and surrounding communities without Don Bond, ace reporter.
Memorial contributions in his memory can be mailed to Don Bond Memorial Fund, c/o CorePlus Credit Union, 202 Salem Turnpike, Norwich, CT 06360.