More detail on this person: Jack Wilbert Bond, 65, died Monday, Jan. 17, 2011, after a three-year
battle with brain cancer.
He was born in Tacoma, Wash. April 17, 1945, the son of Elton and Lila (Bilyeu) Bond.
Jack was a 1963 graduate of Albany High School. He served in the U.S. Army in Vietnam as a
helicopter pilot - Chief Warrant Officer II - 1966 through 1969. When he returned from Vietnam he
was a flight instructor at Fort Rucker, Ala. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the
Air Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster.
After the Army, Jack worked as a pilot in Alaska for ERA Helicopters. In July 1970, along with a
passenger, he survived an emergency landing in the Arctic waters of the Bering Sea for 17 hours. He
worked in Louisiana for 18 years for ERA Helicopters and then in Saudi Arabia for ARAMCO, retiring
in 2003. During this time his home base was in Panama City, Fla.
Jack married Delores Warner on Nov. 24, 2004, in Salem. Jack and Delores spent much of their time
together visiting family and long-time friends. Jack was an avid vintage and collectible car fan and
was talented at home improvement projects.
Jack is survived by his wife Delores; daughter Jackie Charley and husband Scott of Allen, Texas;
stepchildren Donnie Chapel and wife Jeanette of Lake Charles, La., Cindy Miller of Wilsonville,
Julie Mertz of Salem, Maria Cooley and husband Wayne of Dallas, Corey Mertz and wife Lisa of
McMinnville, and Shelly Davis of Portland; 16 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren; and brother Paul
Bond and wife Sandy of Keizer.
Interment will be at Bilyeu Den Cemetery near Scio. A celebration of life will be from 1 to 4 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 5, at Mill Creek Best Western, 3125 Ryan Drive S.E., Salem.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to the Salem Hospital Foundation, Cancer Fund,
P.O. Box 14001, Salem, OR 97309-5014 or www.salemhospital.org Support Salem Hospital link.
This information was last updated 05/18/2016
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Date posted on this site: 01/11/2025
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