Funeral services for Milton Bonds, age 80, will be at 10:00 AM, Mon., Jan. 8, 2018 in the Wheeler Mortuary Chapel with Rev. Vern Brinkley officiating. Burial will follow in the Portales Cemetery with various family members serving as pallbearers. Those desiring to make memorial contributions may send them to the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home, P O Box 629, Portales, NM 88130.

Flavous Milton Bonds, known to everyone as Milton, was born June 12, 1937, in Portales, to the home of Ruby Lillian (King) and Flavous Connon Bonds and died peacefully Jan. 3, 2018 at his home in Alto, surrounded by his loving family. He grew up on a remote ranch in the south part of Roosevelt County in the area of Milnesand and Crossroads. Milton graduated from Tatum High School in 1953. He first went to the northwest part of New Mexico, where he worked on a road construction crew. He later worked in the potash mines in Carlsbad, but eventually went to work for Texico Oil which later became Chevron Oil, doing maintenance on the oil rigs. On Aug. 8, 1992 in Little Creek, Co, he was married to Joe Ann Smith.

Milton was an avid big game hunter. Over the span of his life he had hunted in Australia, Afghanistan, Africa and Alaska among others. His kills had won him Boone and Crockett Trophies on several occasions. He had elephant, lion, zebra, polar bear, water buffalo, cape buffalo and bison to his credit to name only a few of his trophies. Milton also produced some beautiful sand paintings.

He is survived by Joe Ann, his wife of more than 25 years; four sons and two daughters-in-law, Sheldon Smith of Elizabeth, CO, Brian and Renea Cazares of Yorba Linda, CA, Lance Smith of Norco, CA and David and Donna Bonds of Lovington, NM; a daughter, Tonja Smith of Alto, NM; ten grandchildren, Justin (Roberta) Smith, Shelbie (Rob) Burroughs, Rain Smith, Dalton, Dillon, McKenna and Dallas Cazares, and Stoney, Cody and Stetson Bonds; four great-grandchildren, Aiden and Kailei Smith and Caleb and Ransom Burroughs; a brother-in-law, Bill Pippin of Ruidoso; and two sisters-in-law, Linda (Mike) Williams of Helendale, CA and Ginger Tate of Alto, NM. He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother, Leroy Bonds and two sisters, Bernadean Otis and Faye Cummings.