Mexico has lost a long-standing voice of its community. Former U.S. Senator and Missouri Governor, Christopher S. “Kit” Bond, who was born in Mexico in 1939, passed away today in St. Louis.

Bond had a 24-year-long career in the U.S. Senate, in addition to serving two non-consecutive terms as Governor of Missouri, from 1973 to 1977 and from 1981 to 1985. He was the first Republican governor of the state since 1945.

A devoted husband, father, and grandfather, whose life’s work was dedicated to serving Missouri, Kit Bond is dead at the age of 86.