Eileen Teresa Bond, beloved by friends and family as "Red", died on 2 July 2025 in Perth at the age of 87, following heart complications after a stroke. Hundreds of mourners gathered at St Patrick's Basilica in Fremantle to farewell a woman who had made an art form of living boldly. The church was filled with red roses and pink orchids, an entirely fitting tribute to someone whose approach to life was rarely less than vivid.
Born into an Irish-Catholic family in Fremantle, Eileen Hughes met Alan Bond when she was just 16 years old. The couple married soon after and went on to raise four children together: John, Craig, Susanne, and Jody. Though their marriage ended in divorce in 1992, Eileen and Alan maintained a close relationship until his death in 2015.
Her contribution to one of Australia's greatest sporting achievements deserves more than a footnote. When Australia II broke a 132-year stranglehold held by the New York Yacht Club to win the 1983 America's Cup, Alan Bond's financial and technical backing was central to the effort, but it was Eileen who won hearts. She moved through the American crowds with an ease and warmth that generated genuine public affection, becoming a face of the campaign as much as anyone on the water. She was there again during the 1987 defence held in Fremantle, a visible and spirited symbol of national pride at a time when the whole country felt invested in the outcome.
Those who knew Eileen well spoke of a "work hard, play hard" philosophy she wore without apology. She had a gift for summoning exactly the right words to express it:
“You have to have either self control or moderation and I certainly haven't the latter. I'll eat and eat then suddenly stop and have next to nothing for eight days in a row.” YouTubeNews.com.au
The line drew laughter because it was so thoroughly her. At the funeral, family members described a woman who threw herself into volunteer work with the same enthusiasm she brought to hosting parties that people still talked about years later.
"I certainly haven't the latter."
Her son John addressed mourners, capturing something essential about his mother's character:
“Eileen’s life seems to me best summed up by words beginning with the letter F… faith, family, friends and fun.”
He painted a picture of a woman who went at life full throttle, turning up to football games, snapping up designer outfits on a whim, and remaining an irrepressible presence right to the end. Among those who came to pay their respects were former Premier Richard Court and South Fremantle Football Club legend Stephen Michael, a pairing that spoke to just how wide a circle she had touched.
Eileen's place in the story of Australian sailing is not simply that of a wealthy patron's wife. She brought humanity and warmth to campaigns that might otherwise have been remembered only in terms of engineering and finance. The 1983 America's Cup victory by Australia II became a defining cultural moment for the country, and Eileen was woven into that story as surely as anyone who crewed the boat. She gave the campaign a heartbeat that resonated far beyond the racecourse.
The sailing world joins her family in mourning a woman whose laughter carried as much force as her convictions, and whose life was, from beginning to end, anything but half-lived. Eileen "Red" Bond leaves behind a more colourful Australia.
