Late Kit Bond Married Linda Following Divorce From First Wife Carolyn
Christopher Samuel Bond, professionally known as Kit Bond, was an American attorney and politician who died at 86 in St. Louis on May 13, 2025.
His family told the tragic news to the Governor of Missouri, Mike Kehoe, and he ordered flags flown at half staff for the man he described as a skilled statesman.
Highlights
- Kit Bond married Carolyn Reid in 1967, and they have a son, Samuel Reid Bond.
- Samuel followed his family’s public service tradition and joined the United States Marine Corps.
- Kit divorced Carolyn in 1994, and he married Linda Pell in 2002.
After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1963, Kit served as a law clerk to the Honorable Elbert Tuttle and practiced law at Covington & Burling in Washington, D.C.
He moved back to his hometown in 1967 and ran for Congress in 1968 in Missouri’s 9th congressional district. He defeated Anthony Schroeder in the August Republican primary and won 19 of the district’s 23 counties.
Similarly, he defeated a seventeen-year incumbent, Haskell Holman, and was elected Missouri State Auditor in 1970. He was elected governor of Missouri in 1972, making him the youngest governor in Missouri history at 33.
Kit served as the Chairman of the Midwestern Governors Association in 1983. John Ashcroft succeeded him as governor in 1985, and they worked together in the U.S Senate.
His tragic demise saddened the whole community of Missouri, and many remembered him in their heartfelt condolence.
Today, we mourn the passing of Christopher “Kit” Bond. Kit was a true statesmen who faithfully served the state of Missouri for decades. His legacy of integrity, vision, and dedication to the people of Missouri will not be forgotten. May he rest in peace.
Kit Bond’s First Wife Preserved Missouri’s History
Carolyn Reid Bond, the first wife of former Missouri Governor and U.S. Senator Kit Bond, played a pivotal role as a dedicated First Lady and preservationist in Missouri’s history.
They married in 1967, and she served as the state’s First Lady during Kit’s two non-consecutive terms as governor from 1973 to 1977 and from 1981 to 1985.
Sadly, their marriage didn’t last, and they divorced in 1994. However, her contributions to Missouri’s cultural heritage remain enduring.
One of Carolyn’s most lasting legacies was her commitment to preserving the Missouri Governor’s Mansion, a historic landmark in Jefferson City.
She founded the Missouri Mansion Preservation in 1974, recognizing the need to protect and restore the 19th-century building.
This nonprofit organization raised funds and awareness for the Mansion’s upkeep, ensuring its architectural and historical significance would endure for future generations.
Moreover, Carolyn directed the publication of Past and Repast, a book that celebrated the Missouri Governor’s Mansion through recipes, historical anecdotes, and photographs.
It became a beloved collector’s item, selling nearly 40,000 copies and offering readers a unique glimpse into the Mansion’s past.
Furthermore, Carolyn and Kit Bond had one son, Samuel Reid Bond, who graduated from Princeton University in 2003.
Sam followed in his family’s tradition of public service and joined the United States Marine Corps, serving multiple tours of duty in Iraq. After his military service, he transitioned into a career in business.
Kit Bond’s Wife, Linda Pell, Dedicated Her Life To Public Service
After divorcing Carolyn Reid Bond, Kit Bond married Linda Pell in 2002. They first dated in the late 1990s. They were both previously married.
Linda is a prominent figure in Republican fundraising and political advocacy. She has also built an impressive career in public service, political campaigns, and nonprofit leadership.
Linda was born and raised in the Kansas City suburb of Gladstone, Missouri, and pursued higher education at the University of Missouri.
Later, she graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Art History from the University of Maryland. Her academic background laid the foundation for a career blending communications, public policy, and strategic fundraising.
Linda’s professional journey began in the Reagan administration, where she worked in the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) press office before transitioning to the Voice of America (VOA).
Her early political experience included working on the 1984 Reagan-Bush presidential campaign under speechwriter Ken Khachigian.
Her commitment to public service extended internationally when she served as director for Germany for the International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Linda shifted her focus to political fundraising and served as finance director for Steve Forbes’ 1996 and 2000 presidential bids.
Afterward, she founded the political and not-for-profit fundraising firm Catignani & Bond with Linus Catignani.
She also served as a Commissioner on the Commission on White House Fellows, a prestigious leadership and public service program that selects exceptional individuals to work alongside top government officials.
Nontheless, Linda Bond mourns the tragic loss of Kit Bond alongside her stepson, Samuel Reid Bond, in private. The Bond family will soon announce Kit’s memorial service.
Rest In Peace, Christopher Samuel Bond.
Additional Information
- Christopher Samuel Bond, the son of Arthur D. Bond and Elizabeth Green, was born on March 6, 1939, in St. Louis, Missouri.
- He graduated in 1960 with an A.B. from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.
- He claimed that his early, untreated amblyopia was the cause of his irreversible visual loss in one eye.
- State Attorney General John Danforth hired him as an Assistant Attorney General in 1969, and he led the office’s Consumer Protection Division.
