Kit Bond dies at 86

Christopher S. “Kit” Bond, who represented Missouri as governor and as a U.S. senator, has died.

Bond, 86, died today in St. Louis, according to a news release from Gov. Mike Kehoe's office. His cause of death was not disclosed.

"Kit Bond was a skilled statesman, public servant and a man who truly loved Missouri. I am blessed to have known Kit and honored to call him a friend and a mentor," Kehoe said in the release. "Kit, always with his trademark smile and sense of humor, was a fierce advocate for Missouri throughout his accomplished 40-year career of public service."

A Republican, Bond had two nonconsecutive terms as Missouri governor 1973-77 and 1981-85, and he went on to serve four terms as a U.S. senator between 1986 and 2010. He was Missouri's state auditor before becoming governor.

Missouri State University, in inducting Bond to the school's 2021 Missouri Public Affairs Hall of Fame, said the politician served as vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee and senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and became known for his work "to reform the intelligence community, provide support for a strong and well-equipped U.S. military, and improve care for veterans."