Former U.S. Senator and Missouri Governor Christopher “Kit” Bond has died at the age of 86.
Bond’s death was announced Tuesday morning on X by current Governor Mike Kehoe, who called Bond a “skilled statesman, public servant and a man who truly loved Missouri.”
Here’s the full statement from Governor Kehoe’s news release:
“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.
“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.”