MIKE BOND

IRON MOUNTAIN — The Mike Bondo Memorial Scholarship has been established at Iron Mountain High School by family and friends of the late Michael Bond, a 1990 IMHS graduate.

The scholarship will be available beginning with the Class of 2025 in the amount of $730, in honor of his football number.

Bond, 52, passed away Aug. 12 at his mother and stepfather’s home — enveloped in the love of his mom, sister and cousin — after a valiant battle with cancer.

Bond was born in Missoula, Mont., on Sept. 28, 1971, the son of William “Bill” Bond and Carol (Hanson) Troy. In 1972, Bill and Carol moved to Iron Mountain, where Bill went to work in the family-owned business, Bond Decorating, which was established by Mike’s great-grandfather.

Bond was raised in Iron Mountain and was fortunate to grow up in a tight-knit Italian family. A proud Yooper, he graduated from Iron Mountain High School in 1990.

While in high school, he played football and wrestled and was known to his friends and community as “Bondo,” “No. 73” and “The Avalanche.” Sports played an important role in his life, and Bond was very proud of being named the U.P. Michigan Athlete of the Year and receiving Iron Mountain’s Lineman of the Year Award.

He earned a full-ride football scholarship to the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where he played for the Titans as No. 73. He always loved animals — hunting and eating them! Therefore, it is fitting that his degree was in life sciences-biology.

After college, Bond worked in construction for many years, from the high rises of Chicago to the forested terrain of western Montana. In 2009 he made the move back to Montana, where he was on the bridge division for Sletten Construction with projects that took him throughout the Big Sky State. He was a proud member of the Laborers’ International Union of North America. Affectionately known in Montana as “Big Mike,” Bond was a loyal and true friend. He excelled at building relationships and cherished his friendships.

He had a quick sense of humor, a kind heart and a boisterous laugh. He valued family and always made it a priority to be present, from game nights to weddings and holidays. While his life was shorter than we would have liked, he filled it with work, play, road trips and more.

Bond enjoyed hunting with his friends at his favorite place in the world: Camp Rulla Ut. He enjoyed telling stories, eating good food (and had a sweet tooth that was unrivaled), going to the family cottage, and helping on the Montana ranch.

When he wasn’t working his day job, he could be seen cruising the farm in a truck or side-by-side, feeding cows, helping with calving and soaking up life along the Rocky Mountain front.

To be eligible for the Mike Bondo Memorial Scholarship, applicants must be a graduating senior of Iron Mountain High School who plan to attend an accredited college/trade school pursuing a degree in the construction field/or trades. Applicants must have a 2.5 grade-point average or higher and participated in at least one sport during their high school career.

Those who would like to donate to Bondo’s scholarship can send checks written to “The Mike Bondo Memorial Scholarship” and sent to: Scholarship Administrator, IMHS, 300 W. B St., Iron Mountain, MI 49801.