Ruth Anne Bond

Ruth Anne Bond passed over on Thursday December 31, 2020 at 10:35pm at the Emmanuel Center in Danville, PA.  She had been rehabilitating there after suffering a stroke in October and contracted COVID-19, which ultimately took her life. 

She was born to Carroll and Katherine (Beard) Bond on July 15, 1935 in Pana, Illinois. 

She was a graduate of Pana High School, she earned her BA in Health and Physical Education from Wheaton College, Wheaton IL and her MA in Personnel and Guidance from Montclair State College, NJ. In 2006 Ruth Anne was inducted into the Pana High School Wall of Fame.

Ruth Anne dedicated her life to education. She worked as a guidance counselor in Saddle Brook NJ, a social worker in Geneva, Illinois and Spanish Harlem, NYC.  She worked at a variety of summer camps from Wisconsin to Massachusetts before beginning her career in higher education.

At William Patterson College, NJ she was the assistant registrar for 5 years.  She then migrated west to Bloomsburg State College/University, Bloomsburg, PA, where she worked for 14 years, retiring in 1991.  

Ruth Anne was an instructor and counselor in the Center for Academic Development at Bloomsburg University of PA. She then became the first director of the TRIO Upward Bound Program.  A job she always said was the pinnacle of her professional career. During that time Ruth Anne was an active member of PA TRIO. She was the Vice President of PA TRIO. She participated in Policy Seminar many times and attended countless state, regional and national conferences. 

While at Bloomsburg University of PA she served on various committees and advised the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Upward Bound Alumni Association. 

Her focus was empowerment. Accolades from former students continue to express their love and admiration.  Ruth Anne recognized that every interaction she had was an opportunity to make a positive impact.

Angela McCloskey wrote this heartfelt tribute. "The world lost another beautiful soul, a dear friend, a true influencer before that was a thing, a mentor, a teacher, an infectious smile, a happy joyful woman with an honest laugh, eyes filled with laughter and hope for all the stories she has gathered over time. Those who loved her, that list is many, their lives changed, because she was present in every moment, because she lived as she was meant to, true to herself and with hopeful open arms and a gracious heart. 

Those who loved her, will never be the same, and the world feels a sense of loss for the many who never had a chance to meet her sweet soul."

Retirement was just the next chapter and adventure in her life. She learned to fly. She learned to play the piano.  She did crisis work for CMSU and served on the board of the Caring Community for AIDS.

Although Ruth Anne grew up a Brooklyn Dodger fan, she converted to a Pittsburgh Pirate fan enjoying many games at PNC Park. She also loved going to Heinz Field to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers and loved being at the game when the team won Super Bowl XL. She was looking forward to attending the Stanley Cup parade the next time the Pittsburgh Penguins win. She was a big fan of women's basketball, especially the WNBA. When she wasn’t watching sports, you could find her golfing, swimming, x-country or downhill skiing. 

Her love of travel took her to 45 of the 50 states. Her overseas travel took her to Ireland, England, Iceland and Norway. She swam in the Blue Lagoon, saw Queen Elizabeth and shopped for Belleek Irish porcelain in County Fermanagh. Cruising the fjords of Norway, was a lifelong dream; as was seeing polar bears in their natural habitat in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. She loved any body of water, her favorite being the coast of Maine, where she spent her summers. 

Ruth Anne is survived by her spouse, Maureen L. Mulligan; her sister-in-law, Susan Kent of Mechanicsburg, PA, brothers-in-law Bill Mulligan and his wife Leslie of Pittsburgh, PA, Bob Mulligan of Bentleyville, PA and Gerry Mulligan of Pittsburgh, PA; her cousins Becky (Bond) and her husband Roy Billiter, of Pana, IL; Dennis Pullium of Decatur, IL, Richard Beard and wife Cathy (Holley) of Pana, IL. And nieces and nephews and many, many more cousins and friends from Maine to California and Florida to Washington. 

She was preceded in death by her parents Carroll and Katherine, who lived to be 100, something Ruth Anne was hoping to do. Also, cousin  Bonnie (Robertson) Pullium.

Celebrations of life will take place in Illinois and Bloomsburg, PA when we can gather together safely. 

In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made in Ruth Anne's memory to the Southern Poverty Law Center in Atlanta, GA (donate.splcenter.org) or the Upward Bound Scholarship at Bloomsburg University. (http://giving.bloomu.edu/donate/give-now).

"You will teach them to fly, but they will not fly your flight. You will teach them to dream, but they will not dream your dream. You will teach them to live, but they will not live your life. Nevertheless, in every flight, in every life, in every dream, the print of the way you taught them will remain."  Mother Teresa

Arrangements were entrusted to the care of the Dean W. Kriner, Inc., Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 325 Market Street, Bloomsburg, PA.