Mamie I Bondy

Mamie Nell Isensee Bondy died on Monday, March 15, 2021. She was 94. Mrs. Bondy grew up in Karnes City, TX. She was the daughter of Harry W. Isensee and Laura Jauer Isensee, and sister to Clarence T. Isensee and Martha Ann (Isensee) Williams.

Mrs. Bondy grew up in a very tight-knit family and loved to visit her 21 paternal cousins in Nueces County whenever possible. She was particularly fond of her cousins Carol Kilgore, Naomi Tischler and the late Marilyn Norman.

She began her college years in the summer of 1944 at the University of Texas at Austin. While attending school, she joined the Catholic Church, following her older brother in this choice. Mrs. Bondy was an active participant in the Newman Club, a student group affiliated with UT’s Catholic students. During this time, she met Morgan A. (Tiny) Bondy, whom she later married.

After graduating from the University with a degree in Home Economics/Child Development, Mrs. Bondy moved to Houston and began working for American General Insurance as a bookkeeper. Three years later, in 1952, she married Morgan. While he completed graduate work, the couple lived in Austin. Following that, they moved to Arlington for a year, and then finally to Garland where Morgan began his lifelong career with LTV, later known as E-Systems.

Mrs. Bondy gave birth to four children: Christina, Stephen, Michele and Claire. During the years of their childhood she was a homemaker and managed all aspects of the household including family finances. She chauffeured her children back and forth to Good Shepherd School while still finding time to participate and be president of the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO), act as a scout leader, serve on the Communications Committee of the Bishop Lynch Parents Association and attend graduate school. In between all of that, she used her extensive sewing skills to make clothing for herself and her three daughters. In 1964, she acted in the role of construction manager as she and Morgan built the house that was their family’s home for more than 30 years.

In later years she returned to the workforce as secretary to the dean of discipline and later as the finance manager’s assistant at Bishop Lunch High School. She retired in 1987 to spend more time with her husband, following his medical retirement from E-Systems. During this time, she took up quilting.

Mrs. Bondy was a loving and patient companion to Morgan through his final years when the effect of heart disease took its toll. She often said that when she married Morgan, she took the vow, “To love and to cherish, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,” and she remained true to her commitment until his death in 1993.

In 1997, following a lifelong dream, Mrs. Bondy moved to Austin to be back in the town she had loved as a student, and to be closer to her children. Once again, she became active in her church community, participating in several groups including the Krafty Ladies, which creates a variety of hand crafts for periodic sales on behalf of the church. Having taken up knitting at the tender age of 83, she joined the parish’s Prayer Shawlers, a group that knits and crochets for those who are sick or in need of prayer. Sadly, her activities within her parish community were curtailed following a stroke in 2019.

Her husband, parents, brother Clarence, brother-in-law Robert Bondy, MD, and sisters-in-law Agnes Walters and Iantha Huggins preceded Mrs. Bondy in death. She is survived by her sister Martha Williams. She leaves four children: daughter Christina Allday-Bondy (James) of Albuquerque, son Stephen Bondy (Carolyn) of Wimberley, daughters Michele Bondy of San Antonio and Claire Bondy, who resides in El Cajon, CA. She is also survived by her granddaughter, Caitlin Burke (nee Allday) and her husband, Mike of Dallas, and her great-granddaughter, Aideen Marie Burke, as well as 20 nieces and nephews.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for the members of her Hospice Austin care team: Paula, RN, Zoe, CNA, Kim, RN, Sheri, LVN and Chaplain April and Jamie, RN.

In addition, the family extends its gratitude to the Cottage staff of Alexis Pointe, Wimberley, for their attentive care in her final year of life.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in her name be made to either Hospice Austin or to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Memorial services for Mamie will be held at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Wimberley, Texas on Saturday, March 27 at 2:00p.m.

Those who are unable to attend in person may participate in the service via Zoom using passcode 654475, at this link: https://zoom.us/j/91255607965?pwd=cjVZVjFiVk1QL0VEVkdwMTJSQ29Cdz09