Robert “Stewart” Bond

Robert “Stewart” Bond, 78, of Irmo, South Carolina, passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 19, with his family by his side, following a brief battle with cancer.

Stewart was born in Columbia SC to the late John Murray Bond and Dorothy Stewart Bond. He graduated from Cardinal Newman High School in 1966, where he was halfback on the football team. After high school, he attended the University of South Carolina before choosing to serve his country.

Stewart proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1968 to 1971. During his service, he was a member of USAF Special Operations, serving in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam from 1969 to 1970. Upon returning stateside, he was assigned to the 2952 Combat Logistics Support Group at Hill Air Force Base in Ogden, Utah. There, he played an essential role escorting Minuteman III missiles across the country, traveling between Grand Forks, North Dakota and Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

Following his military service, Stewart returned home and joined his mother in running the family business, Bond Equipment Company, beginning a lifelong career in the food service industry. In 1978, he became part of PYA Monarch, later known as US Foods, where he remained a dedicated and valued employee until his retirement in February 2025.

Stewart also devoted many years to public service in the community he loved. He began by serving on local committees before being elected to Lexington Town Council, where he served from 1998 to 2002 as both a councilman and Mayor Pro Tem. His steady leadership and commitment left a meaningful mark on the town he was proud to call home.

Music was one of Stewart’s greatest joys. Naturally talented, he could pick up nearly any instrument and play by ear, though the piano was where he most often shared his gift. In his younger years, he also played drums in a garage band and could be found any night cooking dinner and making a drum set out of the kitchen sink. He was a lifelong supporter of Carolina football and rarely missed an opportunity to cheer on the Gamecocks.

His faith was a guiding force throughout his life. Stewart lived with integrity, humility, and compassion, always extending kindness and forgiveness to others. These values shaped his relationships and left a lasting impression on all who knew him.

Above all, Stewart cherished his family. He is survived by his wife, Karen Dowling Bond; beloved daughters, Laura Bond Touchberry (Tom) and Meredith Bond Koss (Rusty) and his stepdaughters, Erin Tarkir (Zach), Lauren Boesch (Josh), and Kristina McElroy; Grandchildren: Sidney Touchberry, George Touchberry, Olivia Koss, Jackson Koss, Riley Fulmer, Joshua Boesch, Olivia McElroy, and Kennedy McElroy. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including his close-knit Profilet family: Jay, John, Terry, Kathy, Julie, and Trisha.

In addition to his parents, Stewart was preceded in death by his sister, Dorothy “Dottie” Bond Profilet; his brother-in-law, Clarence Profilet; his brother, John M. Bond and his former wife, Katie Faller Bond, to whom he was a devoted caregiver through much of her battle with Multiple Sclerosis.

Stewart will be deeply missed and fondly remembered by all who knew and loved him. His family finds comfort in the assurance of his faith, knowing he has finished the race and is now at peace.

A service to celebrate Stewart’s life will be held on Saturday, May 23, at 11:00 a.m. in the chapel at Lexington Baptist Church, 308 E Main St, Lexington, SC, 29072. The family will receive friends beginning at 10:00 a.m., prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation, specifically the “Invisible Wounds of War (Mental Wellness)” program, supporting wounded veterans and their families: https://www.garysinisefoundation.org/donate

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” — 2 Timothy 4:7