Ethelyn Bond

ETHELYN CUMMINGS BOND (1943-2019)

Ethelyn Cummings Bond passed away on June 1, 2019 after dealing with cancer for over a decade..  She was born in Lubbock, Texas on June 22, 1943 to Frances Walter and Samuel Bonner Cummings. She soon became an attentive big sister to her brother Bobby and sister, Jane Ann.

Ethelyn grew up active in the girl scouts and in the Methodist Youth Fellowship at Asbury United Methodist Church in Lubbock. She was the editor of her high school yearbook, The Westerner, at Lubbock High School and a member of the National Honor Society. Following her senior year of high school, she was selected to be a youth delegate to the World Methodist Conference in Oslo, Norway.  She went on to study at Texas Tech University, where she majored in sociology. There, she met her future husband, George Doherty Bond. Following their wedding on September 4, 1965, they moved to Dallas, where George enrolled in Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University. 

Ethelyn and George lived and travelled in various parts of the world.  They lived in Sri Lanka on several occasions, the first time being for a year in 1970-71 when George was doing doctoral research. Ethelyn moved there with her husband and their infant son, Kevin Doherty. While there, Ethelyn loved the challenge of learning how to be a mother, meeting new friends, and experiencing a new culture

Ethelyn gave birth to her second child, Elizabeth Frances, in 1973, and soon the family of four established a life in Evanston. Once her children had both reached school-age, Ethelyn took a job at Northwestern University, beginning her career as a secretary for two psychology professors and later served as the Department Assistant. She held this position for fifteen years before accepting a job as the office manager for a private family foundation based in Evanston.

Over the course of her nearly fifty-year involvement at First United Methodist Church, she was involved in almost every aspect of the church from the Junior Guild committee, to  Christmas Tree Lane craft fair, from the Sunday school program, to participating in countless Bible study and book groups with friends.  Ethelyn also participated in several service trips with the church, including going twice to Ghana. Just last year, Ethelyn made the trip of a lifetime to Israel with a group from First Church.

One of Ethelyn’s most impactful contributions to the church and to the Evanston community in general, was her work at the Thursday evening soup kitchen sponsored by the Interfaith Action Council of Evanston and hosted at FUMC.  Ethelyn directed the soup kitchen for over 30 years, recruiting volunteers, cooking meals and, and organizing the other organizations that shared the work..  Thanks to Ethelyn, every Thursday night, 100 + people struggling with homelessness were served a home cooked meal, given warmth and fellowship, and sent home with a sack lunch. Recently, when she was no longer able be present at the soup kitchen, the guests sent messages of love and healing. 

In between her full-time job and devotion to volunteering at FUMC, Ethelyn loved to  attend her grandchildren’s endless number of plays, baseball games, science fairs, birthday parties, and band concerts. 

Ethelyn is survived by her husband of almost 54 years, George, their son Kevin, his wife Juliet and their three children Jacob, Lilly, and Casey, of Evanston, their daughter Elizabeth Mendez and her husband Chris of Edgewater, Colorado and their two children Mira and Gus. She is also survived by her best friend and sister Jane Ann Dixon and her husband Dan, of Arlington, Virginia,  their brother Robert and his wife Donna, of Lebanon, Pennsylvania,  their children and grandchildren, and numerous beloved cousins and close friends. 

She was the center of the Bond family, supporting her family and friends by example and unwavering loyalty. The void she leaves behind is indescribable. The memorial service for Ethelyn is scheduled for Saturday, June 15th 1:00 PM in the main sanctuary at First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston, IL 60201. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the First United Methodist Church Soup Kitchen Fund, 516 Church St.., Evanston, IL 60201 (847-864-6181)

Interment private at the church. Arrangements entrusted to Evanston Funeral & Cremation, Roland F. Weis director. Info 847 866-8843, condolence and guestbook at evanstonfuneral.com 

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