Son John delivers funeral eulogy for mum and Aussie icon Eileen ‘Red’ Bond

The son of an Aussie icon and beloved socialite has delivered a heartfelt eulogy about a woman who was “wonderful, exuberant, engaging and loyal to the end”.

Beloved Aussie socialite Eileen “Red” Bond has been remembered for her commitment to “faith, family, friends and fun” in a heartfelt service at Fremantle’s St Patrick’s Basilica.

Ms Bond, the wife of entrepreneur Alan Bond, was farewelled before hundreds of mourners on Monday following her death from a stroke on July 2 aged 87.

Son John, delivering the eulogy, said his devout Catholic mother loved St Patrick’s and it was “entirely fitting” to say goodbye to her there.

“This place gave her strength to get through the tough times in life of which she had a few, the most significant being the tragic death of her darling daughter Susan,” he said.

“In times like these, this church was her refuge.”

Ms Bond sported a shock of red hair as a child and she became known as “Red” to her friends and family.

On family, John said Ms Bond was “fiercely loyal”.

Eileen Bond, former wife of entrepreneur Alan Bond, was a devout Roman Catholic and popular socialite. Picture: Supplied

“To mum, family could do no wrong even when we obviously had,” he said.

“She would brook no criticism whatsoever of family members.”

On friends, John praised his mother’s “incredible knack” of being able to “befriend anybody, at any time, in any circumstances”.

“She was vitally interested in people’s lives, and I think that was the key,” he said.

Mr Bond converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism to marry Eileen, John said, after the pair met when Ms Bond was still a teenager.

She and Mr Bond welcomed four children: John, Craig, Susanne and Jody.

Mr Bond was a successful developer in the 1970s and 1980s and became a household name after he helped Australia win the 1983 America’s Cup sailing competition.

He also founded Queensland’s Bond University.

Ms Bond’s casket is brought into St Patrick's Basilica in Fremantle on Monday. Picture: NewsWire/Philip Gostelow

He went bankrupt in the early 1990s and was sent to prison on bankruptcy and fraud charges.

Ms Bond travelled the world and lived a life of luxury, forming friendships in high society circles across the globe.

“Our mighty team won the America’s Cup and mum won the American public,” John said.

But all the time, “Red never really changed”, he said.

“Wonderful, exuberant, engaging and loyal to the end, she will be terribly missed,” John said.

In a statement on her death, Bond University vice chancellor and president Tim Brailsford said Ms Bond was a “great friend and fierce supporter of the university since its establishment”.

“She was a regular visitor to campus and attended many events, always bringing her own style and grace,” he said.

“The room was always brighter once Red had entered and her cheeky sense of humour entertained many a crowd.”

Originally published as Son John delivers funeral eulogy for mum and Aussie icon Eileen ‘Red’ Bond