By Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
Down by the old Southern Pacific Railhouse on E. Houston in Sherman sat a nondescript welding shop. It was to this welding shop that Bert Bond trekked in the summers of the 1950s and 60s.
His granddad had opened the shop around the 1920s, and his dad went to work in it after World War II. There were always chores for Bert to do—sweeping the floors, painting metal projects. His main reason for being there, though, was because he had an endless curiosity for how things worked and how to fix them. That curiosity led Bert to an electrical engineering degree and a 41-year career at Texas Instruments.
Now retired, Bert is still fixing things.
Around Reba’s Ranch House—a home away from home for caregivers—there is always a lightbulb that needs to be changed, a sink to unstop, or a flapper valve to replace. Bert is on call for the ranch house whenever they need him, whether it’s fixing something, or saying a prayer with a ranch house guest.
“God is good to us,” Bert says. “A lot of times people just need someone to listen to them and cheer their day up. I think everyone could use a good word, or for someone to say a prayer for them and their family. It gives them hope and lifts them up for the day. And that’s basically what we’re here for, to make this place a better world.”
Helping people, especially with their medical needs, runs in Bert’s family through his mom and sister who were in healthcare. He is also using his retirement years to work in his church as the maintenance person and especially helping elderly ladies who need lightbulbs changed.
A Jack of all trades, Bert’s early days of working in his granddad’s welding shop, and his Boy Scout merit badges for electricity and plumbing prepared him for the good work he now does.
“And it keeps me out of trouble,” he said with a laugh.
The staff couldn’t imagine the world without Bert.
“He keeps us running,” says Marilyn Bice, director of Reba’s Ranch House. “He is kind, considerate, and solves most of our problems.”
Bert started helping around the ranch house over a decade ago when he installed handicap grab bars for the guest bathrooms. He saw the mission of the ranch house up close and knew he wanted to continue being a part of it.
“Reba’s Ranch House is such a blessing to our area and those needing a place to stay and unwind after a long day and night staying with their loved one in the hospital,” Bert says. “It is a privilege and pleasure working with all the wonderful individuals who work and volunteer here at the Ranch House.”