Russell “Don” Yost, 89, of Sebring, Fla., and Morgantown, passed away quietly in his sleep on Jan. 27, 2020, at his home in Sebring, Fla., with his youngest son James “Jim” by his side.
The oldest son of the late M. Hess Yost and L. Blendine Yost, he was born at the “Old Home Place” of his grandma Williams’ on March 31, 1930, in Daybrook. He was a founding member of the University Church of Christ, former member of the Morgantown Church of Christ and member of the Sebring Parkway Church of Christ.
At an early age, he joined the plumbers and pipe fitters local union 152 and has been a member for nearly 70 years. He worked and/or supervised various construction projects for power plants and commercial and government buildings in the north-central West Virginia and southwestern Pennsylvania regions. He was also an employee of Gordon Oil Co. and Haliburton, working in Michigan and Ohio in the 1950s. He was an active Mason.
In 1978, he purchased land between the Monongahela National Forest and good friends Ralph and Loletta Whites’ farm in Tucker County and began building his hunting cabin, constructing most of it without the use of electricity. He was blessed with many days to enjoy hunting and just being in the country. He also enjoyed antiques, playing the guitar, and many faithful canine companions over the years. Although he and Loretta Jo moved to Michigan and Ohio seeking work, they always found their way home to West Virginia and eventually settled in the Cheat Lake area in 1960. They celebrated over 66 wonderful years together and spent 23 of those years being Florida snowbirds until her death on Dec. 24, 2016.
Russell is survived by two sons, Timothy C. Yost, of Pittsburgh, and James K. Yost (Montaz), of Morgantown; his only grandchild, Madison Grace Yost, of Pittsburgh; two brothers, Jack L. Yost, of Morgantown and Winterhaven, Fla., and M. Leon (Linda) Yost, of Texas; one brother-in-law, Darrell Eddy, of Bridgeport; and many nephews, nieces, cousins and a special family friend, Carol Berry.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Loretta Jo Yost; his middle son, Russell “Doug” Yost, of Houston, Texas; mother- and fathers-in-law, Grace Headly Moore Branham, Charles W. Moore and C. “Doc” Branham; stepmother, Martha Tennant Yost; two infant sisters; a brother-in-law, Gary Branham; and three sisters-in-law; Almeada Moore Eddy, Gail Cress Yost and Cindy Empolus Branham.
Visitation will be at the Dering-Henson Funeral Home from 2-4 p.m. and 6-9 p.m. Friday, Feb. 7, and from 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, until the 1 p.m. service hour with Evangelist Ben Jones officiating. Burial will follow in the Williams Family Cemetery in Daybrook.
Caring services are provided by Dering-Henson Funeral Home.
Condolences:
www.dering-henson.com
