Claude Enoch Bond, Jr.

Mr. Claude Enoch Bond Jr., aka "Sam", age 78, of Baxterville MS, passed away peacefully at his home on February 8th 2021. Sam was born May 6th, 1942 in Baxterville MS. He was the youngest of five brothers and very beloved by his family and community.  In his early years Sam enjoyed being an accomplished basketball and baseball player for Baxterville and Lumberton Schools. He graduated from Lumberton High School in 1961. He later enlisted and served in the United States Air Force in the Vietnam war from 1966 to 1969. After his discharge from the service, he worked as a Park Ranger at Little Black Creek Water Park, in Purvis MS. Mr. Bond loved his job and met many lifetime friends at Little Black. He also worked from home as a skilled taxidermist and trapper for many years.  From a very young age, Sam loved the great outdoors. His favorite pastimes and true passions were hunting and fishing. He enjoyed teaching the youth of Baxterville, and pretty much anyone that wanted to learn, all about how to hunt and fish. Sam spent many years dog hunting in the woods of Baxterville, known as "the Devil's Backbone", with his family and friends. His call sign on the CB radio was "Turkey Hen", and that name followed him for most of his adult life. Later the Turkey Hen branched out and founded the Piney Ford Hunting Club in Marion county MS, serving as president for nearly 40 years. He has touched countless lives in this role by sharing his wisdom of hunting and the outdoors with so many. Sam married Shirley Sylvest of Baxterville in 1974 and they had four daughters together. Everyone who truly knew Sam, knew he loved his roots, he loved to make people laugh and he loved his family. He was always thankful for everything he had and he always had a good story to tell. Sam Bond never needed more than his family, a good hunting dog, and some buck shot to have his best day. We could all learn a little something from Sam. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Lori Lynn Bond of Baxterville, MS, and two brothers, Joseph "Pop" Bond, and James Bond, both of Baxterville, with his parents Claude E. Sr. and Leona (Smith) Bond, also of Baxterville. Sam is survived by two brothers: Marion "Buddy" Bond, of Winston Salem, North Carolina, and Henry "Red" Bond of Baxterville; his three daughters and nine grandchildren: Serena (Sam) Westmorland of Baxterville and daughter Camren Hensarling of Petal, Bobbie (Bobby Joe) Swinney and four children, Olivia Barlow, Joelle, Luke and Lawson Swinney, all of Ocean Springs, Samantha (Jeremy) Sullivan and four children, Tristin, Samuel, and Kennidy Kuglar, and Dawson Rungeling, all of Baxterville. He is also survived by three nephews and four nieces: Jeffrey Bond of Oak Grove, Jennifer Bond Stokely of Knoxville, TN, Darren Bond and Sissy Pearl Bond of Baxterville, Jason McCardle of Lumberton, Amy Spradley of Laurel and Fancise Johnson of Jackson, MS.

Sam's funeral services will be in the care of Trinity Funeral Services in Lumberton, with visitation set for Friday, February 12th from 6:00 until 9 PM. The funeral service will be held Saturday Feb. 13th at 10:00 at the Baxterville Church of God on Tatum Salt Dome Road. Pallbearers will be: His beloved nephew Jeffrey Bond, his cousins Lance Bond and Justine Green, his grandsons Tristin and Samuel Kugler, and his longtime friend Scott Magee. Brother Yancy Magee and Mr. Gene Johnson will officiate his services. Graveside gathering will be in the Bond family cemetery behind the church immediately after the  funeral service. The Bond family would like to ask that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis TN. Sam was an avid supporter of St. Jude for many years. Trinity Funeral Services is honored to serve the Bond family in thier time of need, asking everyone to keep them in your thoughts and prayers over the coming days.

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