Former Missouri Gov. and U.S. Senator Christopher "Kit" Bond died Tuesday in St. Louis at the age of 86, Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe announced.
In honor of Bond's legacy, Kehoe has ordered all U.S. and Missouri flags at government buildings and grounds across the state to be flown at half-staff from Tuesday until Bond is laid to rest.
"Kit Bond was a skilled statesman, public servant, and a man who truly loved Missouri. I am blessed to have known Kit and honored to call him a friend and a mentor," Governor Kehoe said in a statement.
"Kit, always with his trademark smile and sense of humor, was a fierce advocate for Missouri throughout his accomplished 40-year career of public service. Kit kept Missouri's interests at heart, both in office and out, making our state a better place to live, work, and raise a family."
"Whenever he was thanked for his service, Kit's response was always, 'Serving the people of Missouri was the honor of my life.' His legacy as a 'favorite son' to his beloved State of Missouri lives on through all he achieved for his home state. Kit touched the lives of so many men and women throughout his career, and today I join them in grieving the loss of a good man. Just as they will miss their friend and mentor, so will I. On behalf of all Missourians, Claudia and I share our deepest condolences and offer our prayers for his wife Linda, his son Sam, and the entire Bond family."
A cause of death was not disclosed. Further details regarding memorial services are expected to be announced later Tuesday.
Born in St. Louis on March 6, 1939, Bond attended Deerfield Academy in Massachusetts before earning his degree from Princeton University in 1960. He went on to graduate at the top of his class from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1963.
Bond began his legal career in Washington, D.C., before relocating in 1967 to Mexico, Missouri — his maternal grandfather's hometown. He entered public service shortly after, beginning with a run for Congress in 1968 and then being appointed to lead Missouri's Consumer Protection Division in 1969.
He was elected Missouri State Auditor in 1970 at age 31 and made history two years later when he became the state's youngest governor at age 33 — and its first Republican governor in nearly three decades. His eligibility for the office was challenged due to Missouri's residency requirements, but the state Supreme Court ultimately ruled in his favor.
Bond's decades-long career in public office included two nonconsecutive terms as governor and four terms in the U.S. Senate, where he was known for his bipartisan approach and advocacy for Missouri's infrastructure, agriculture, and military installations.
His contributions to Missouri and the nation are widely regarded as instrumental in shaping modern public policy and economic development across the state.
