William Walter Yost, 87, of Piedmont, Ohio died Dec. 17, 2016 in Park Health Care Center, St. Clairsville.He was born Sept. 22, 1929 in Piedmont, a son of the late Walter and Mae Hibbs Yost.

Bill was a lifelong resident of Piedmont and was a self-employed certified public accountant and insurance agent.  He was a member of the Piedmont United Methodist Church.  He was a pilot and loved flying his airplane having received his private pilot license in 1955.  He was a founding member and former president of the Harrison County Airport Authority; and played a key role in bringing an airport to Harrison County in 1962.  He was a 58 year member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians; achieving the Order of Merlin, Excalibur rank. In addition to his parents, William was preceded in death by his beloved grandfather,William Hibbs. Surviving are his wife of 65 years, Ruth Thompson Yost; two children, Patricia (James) Kasik and William Yost Jr., both of St. Clairsville; five grandchildren, John, Nick and Ryan Kasik and Nathan and Evan Yost; his brothers in-law and sisters in-law David and Shirley (Thompson) Waller of The Villages, Fla., Myron and Wanda Thompson of Cadiz and Walter Thompson of St. Clairsville; several nieces and nephews.

Family and friends will be received at Toothman Funeral Home in St. Clairsville, Ohio, on Wed Dec. 21  from 12 to 2 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. where services will be held on Thursday Dec. 22 at 11 a.m., with Rev. Jon Little officiating. Burial will follow in Greenmont Union Cemetery in Freeport, Ohio. An International Brotherhood of Magicians’ Broken Wand Ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. on Wed. Dec 21 in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions maybe made to the Piedmont United Methodist Church.