Kenneth Carroll Yost

On Wednesday, July 5, 2023, Kenneth Carroll Yost, 95, passed peacefully at the home he shared with his beloved wife of 72 years, Claryce Yost, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Ken was born in his family home on Thursday, December 8, 1927 in Clarksburg, West Virginia, the son of the late Maurice and Irene Stump Yost.
Although living in Albuquerque since 1993, Ken was never too far from his West Virginia roots. He was a proud alumnus of Washington Irving High School (1945) and West Virginia University (1952). He served in the US Navy aboard the USS Panamint in the South Pacific and was a witness to the first atomic bomb tests in the Bikini Atoll. He returned home and graduated with a BS Degree in Electrical Engineering and immediately joined Hope Gas Company in Clarksburg. He later returned to West Virginia University to earn a Masters in Business Administration. He retired from Consolidated Gas Transmission Corporation (a successor to Hope Gas) after 36 years of service: starting as a construction laborer in Field Operations, to Manager of Gas Measurement, and finally to VP of Administration.
In West Virginia, he was an active member of Clarksburg Baptist Church, President of United Way of Harrison County, and held many board and officer positions in both the YMCA of Harrison County and the Lion's Club- focusing on their work for the blind and visually impaired. Professionally, he was active and held several officer and board positions in the American Gas Association, West Virginia Society of Professional Engineers, Southern Gas Association, and Clarksburg Development Corporation.
After retirement, Claryce and Ken moved to Albuquerque. They joined and were active members of St. John's United Methodist Church. Ken spent untold hours pursuing his passions of golf, gardening, and researching his and Claryce's family histories. He was a student of the Revolutionary War and was a proud member of the New Mexico Society of the Sons of the American Revolution.
Ken was anchored and surrounded by his family his entire life. He is survived and deeply missed by his wife, Claryce Louise Reaser, whom he married on Saturday, June 2, 1951 at Enon Baptist Church in Bristol, West Virginia. Their union was blessed with two children, Kenneth C. Yost, Jr. (Dana) of Katy, Texas, and Brenda Sue DeLaurentis (John) of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Also surviving are three granddaughters; Jennifer Hademenos (David) of Pearland, Texas, Melissa Spence (Thomas) of Magnolia, Texas, and Katie DeLaurentis of Chicago, Illinois and two great-granddaughters, Sophia and Emma Hademenos in addition to many wonderful nieces and nephews. Ken was preceded in death by his two sisters, Carolyn Cayton of Salem, West Virginia and Phyllis Nan Pierce of Columbus, Ohio.
In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to St. John's United Methodist Church Music Ministry. Services will be held at St. John's United Methodist on Saturday, July 22, 2023, at 10:00 a.m., 2626 Arizona NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87111. To share in this service from home and watch online, visit https://bit.ly/kenyostmemorial at the time of the service.