OKC FRIDAY Vol. 56 No. 40 • One Section • 16 pages • March 10, 2023
$1 per copy
OMRF MS Advocate
Shop the look
Ann and Burns Hargis during OMRF’s MS Advocate Dinner. Burns was the winner of the Advocate Award. Page 3
Fashion Editor Jennifer Clark helps you shop the latest looks for spring from CK & Co., Krista Anne’s Boutique, Lela Rose and Pearl by Lela Rose with Cindi Shelby and the Women’s Health Boutique. Page 15
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Fridaylander Ken Bonds recalls road to success; feted for 76-year career
Kids, bikes, firemen, mayors What do you get when you take a group of Bike Club OKC kiddos, add The Village Fire Department and sprinkle in Mayor Sonny Wilkerson, former Mayor Cathy Cummings, Councilman Sean Cummings and City Manager Rick Slezickey? You get lots of smiles, laughter and even a little dancing as well as some very important fire safety education. Bike Club OKC students from Nichols Hills Elementary took to the streets on their bikes for a fun, educational connection with The Village Fire Department. “This is one of our students' favorite field trips each year,” the nonprofit’s Founder and Program Director Alyssa Lutz said. “Meaningful communi-
By Eric Oesch Staff Writer
Bike club OKC Founder and Program Director Alyssa Lutz leads students through the streets on their way to The Village Fire Department.
ty connections and fire safety education are so important. When coupled with fun, these
connections and lessons are lasting.” The club wrapped up its field trip with a
stop at Bumpas Park, ending up with an 8.5
When Fridaylanders Ken and Gerry Bonds attend his retirement party next week, they are celebrating a 76-year financial career that began at the First National Bank of Ardmore when he was 17 years old. Ken has been a community leader in Oklahoma City for over 50 years, working alongside a Who’s Who of city leaders for the betterment of Oklahoma’s capitol city. Life has been good for Ken, but it hasn’t always been easy. Ken was born June 4, 1929 to his sharecropper father, M.L. Bonds and his homemaker mother Esther Hills Bonds, on a small cotton farm near Kirkland, Texas. Life was hard and money was lacking during the depression so M.L. moved his family of six several times in search of a better life. “Things were tough in Texas, so we moved to Canon City, Colo. – kind of a ‘Grapes of Wrath’ journey in a Dodge touring car piled with all our belongings,” said Ken of his early childhood memory. “Things got tougher, and we moved to Folsom, Okla. when I was about 5-years-old so Dad could sharecrop and earn a living among our relatives who were in the same boat. “We lived in a log cabin with a dirt floor for a while before moving to a slightly better home See BONDS, Page 2
See BIKES, Page 5
Love’s Travel Stops founder Tom Love passes away
TOM LOVE
Tom Love, who, along with his beloved wife and business partner, Judy, founded a family-owned and operated network of more than 600 Love’s Travel Stops & Country Stores, passed away at 85 in his hometown of Oklahoma City on Tuesday. A respected community and business leader, Tom was admired for his genuine humility, good-natured disposition, generosity and helpfulness toward others. “Tom Love was a man of conviction who never wavered from the
principles of honesty and integrity in the 59 years he spent developing the company he started with his wife, Judy,” said Shane Wharton, president of Love’s. “These tenets still guide our company and will as we move forward. Tom always listened and was sincerely interested in knowing the stories of employees and customers. He wanted to hear their thoughts, ideas and hopes for them, their families and the company. He credited the company's success to the
Women Who Lead is luncheon theme By Rose Lane Editor Fourteen ladies are to be honored during the Oklahoma Hospitality Club’s 55th Annual Ladies in the News Luncheon and Style Show set for Friday, March 31, at the Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club. This year’s honorees are: Honorable Catherine “Catt” Burton, a member of the Judiciary, District Court of Oklahoma County; Special District Judge Virginia Calame, community volunteer extraordinaire; Perrin Duncan, Arnall Family Foundation, special projects manager; Kim Garrett, LMSW, NACP, Palomar:
Oklahoma City’s Family Justice Center, CVO and founder; Irene Gianos and Margo Gianos, Honestly Margo, co-owners; Danne L. Johnson, J.D., Our Work, LLC owner and Oklahoma City University School of Law Professor; Lisa Johnson-Billy, Chickasaw Nation Legislature, speaker; Dr. Mautra Staley Jones, Oklahoma City Community College president; Megan Law, Rotary Club of Oklahoma City, executive director; Alyssa Kaiser Nash, WealthTrust Oklahoma/WTO Advisors, president and owner; Marilyn Olson, VillagesOKC, See LIN, Page 13
See LOVE, Page 4
Gerry and Ken Bonds relax over a cup of coffee. Ken is set to retire next week after a 76-year financial career.
FRIDAY’s
Dog of the Week Coco Chanel is the Wainwright’s 3yearold Miniature Schnauzer. She is an absolute diva. Coco has lots of toys but her favorite is her Squiggy. She loves playtime with her pals Sophie and Max. She comes to work at WSA and all the customers love her. She's a Momma's baby, a Daddy's girl and everybody's favorite. Email nominations with a complete descrip tion to rose@okcfriday.com. Submissions are used in the order they are received.