Mary Alverta 'Bertie' Bond, 77, administrative assistant to 4 Agnes Scott presidents

By Rick Badie

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

In 1953, Bertie Bond graduated from Agnes Scott College. Seven years later, she started work as an administrative assistant in the president's office.

She retired 34 years later. By then, she had worked for four of the school's eight presidents: Wallace M. Alston, Marvin B. Perry Jr., Ruth Schmidt and interim president Sally Mahoney.

Ms. Bond worked closely with the officials, handling matters routine as well as sensitive. She, you might say, was the power behind the office.

"To see the president, you had to go through Bertie," said Dr. Gue' Pardue Hudson of Decatur, a friend and dean of students emerita at Agnes Scott. "She gave the best of herself and she brought the best out of Agnes Scott."

Her role required her to be the face of the school, not just the president's office. She didn't use her position to block access.

"The [assistant to the president] position is so critical," said Dr. Mary Brown Bullock, president emerita of Agnes Scott. "In her case,  she provided the warmth and human touch for four presidents. Even though such people can be seen as gatekeepers or enablers, she was always seen as an enabler."

On Saturday, Mary Alverta "Bertie" Bond of Decatur died of a heart attack at DeKalb General Hospital. She was 77.  A memorial service will be 2 p.m. Saturday in the Gaines Chapel of Presser Hall at Agnes Scott College. A.S. Turner & Sons is handling arrangements.

Ms. Bond was born in Virginia. She was a member of Decatur Presbyterian Church. She graduated from Agnes Scott with a bachelor's degree in history and political science. She was faithful to her alma mater as a student and employee.

Dr. Hudson was an Agnes Scott student in the mid-1960s.  Ms. Bond was an adviser to the social council of the Student Government Association.  Back then, students were required to attend convocation. Those who skipped had some explaining to do.

To Ms. Bond.

"No one wanted to give Bertie any kind of foolishness," Dr. Hudson said. "She didn't put up with it."

Ms. Bond retired just as Dr. Bullock began her 11-year stint as Agnes Scott president. Still, she helped Dr. Bullock run her inauguration. Several things, Dr. Bullock said, made Bertie an outstanding administrator.

"She had an extraordinary loyalty to Agnes Scott," Dr. Bullock said, "and she had an admirable sense of decorum. If you wanted to know how to do something the right way, whether it was a ceremony or policy, she had good judgment about institutions. I knew her as a neighbor as well. She was a constant in the college community."

In 1998, the college's Alumnae Association awarded Ms. Bond with an outstanding alumnae award for her service.

When the administrator retired in 1994, about 300 people attended a campus reception in her honor.  She was crowned the administrative assistant to the president emerita as well as secretary emerita of the trustees board, according to a college publication.

Ms. Bond parted with a quip: "I will miss this place," she said, "but I have a lot of memories. Some of them I hope fade quickly."

Survivors include a sister, Elizabeth Bond Boozer of Charlottesville, Va.