James Bond
Age - 75
December 9, 2023
JAMES DAYTON BOND. Beloved husband of 53 years to Kathleen Bond (nee Mercer); dearest father of James E. Bond (Emilee) and Robert D. Bond (Stacey); loving grandfather of James, Wade, and Jillian (deceased); dear brother of Rebecca Kramer (Daniel), Denyse Patterson (Charles) and Janell Izzo (deceased) (Charles); cherished uncle of many nieces and nephews. James "Jim" Bond was born in Cuyahoga Falls, OH in 1948, just days after his beloved Cleveland Indians won the World Series. A decorated high school and summer league baseball player, Jim attended college at Ohio University where he met the love of his life, Kathleen. Graduating Summa Cum Laude as an award-winning top student, Jim started his career in Boston, MA with the public accounting firm Ernst & Ernst (now EY). In the Boston area for five years, they welcomed two sons, Jim and Bob, who meant the world to them. Blessed to have three grandchildren, Jim and Kathleen enjoyed many breakfast picnics, ocean front vacations, backyard baseball, golf, deep-sea fishing, and wicked volleyball games with family and friends. Working in both the EY Cleveland practice office and the National office, Jim passionately served clients and enjoyed solving complex problems. While Jim had a storied career, it was his miraculous and inspiring life following the diagnosis of a late-stage blood cancer, Multiple Myeloma, that is especially memorable. Told there was no cure ("Yet!" - as Jim always said) he was given two to three years of survival if all went well. Like every challenge he faced in life, Jim went all in on doing everything he could to give luck a chance to happen. Jim and Kathleen pursued every avenue and after many chemotherapy regimens, radiation treatments, bone surgeries, six clinical trials, living away from home for months at a time, three bone marrow/stem cell transplants, and novel therapies, Jim continued to beat the long odds. In 2012, Jim was knocked down again by yet another cancer, AML, resulting in a fourth stem cell transplant. While doctors did not believe he could withstand another transplant, just weeks earlier Jim had bicycled 328 miles over four days across Ohio in the American Cancer Society Pan Ohio Hope Ride, a fundraising ride that Kathleen had founded in 2007. Jim's cycling journey confirmed his strength, both physically and mentally, to the transplant team, changing their opinion to move forward with a difficult fourth transplant. Just one year later, with myeloma and AML both in remission, Jim pedaled in yet another Pan Ohio Hope Ride. He rode for 12 years in the Pan Ohio to raise funds and awareness for the American Cancer Society's Hope Lodges, where patients can stay for free while being treated at cancer centers far from home. He was a devoted and passionate advocate and ambassador for the event, personally raising over $500,000 to support the ACS. Throughout his retirement, Jim and Kathleen continued to share their inspirational story in nearly every state in the U. S. , at the National Academy of Science in Washington, D. C. , and around the world both in person and virtually. In 2021 Jim chronicled his cancer experience in a book "The Man in the Arena: Surviving Multiple Myeloma Since 1992". Forever a fighter and legend, Jim will be dearly missed by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate contributions to Jim's personal Pan Ohio Hope Ride page at bit. ly/jimbond_pohr or directly to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge Cleveland, 11432 Mayfield Rd. , Cleveland, OH 44106 or cancer. org/hopelodgecleveland. Funeral Mass Friday, January 5, 2024, Church of the Gesu at 10:30 a. m. Entombment Lake View Cemetery Mausoleum.Show more
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