“To every man upon this earth death cometh soon or late,” yet when a man dies in the height of his mental power, just as he has reached middle age, death seems untimely. So it was with Hal B. Kost. He died just as he reached his goal, aged 50 years, 5 months and 6 days.
The death of Mr. Kost was a great shock to his many friends here and elsewhere, as none of them realized that the condition of his health was serious and none were prepared for the blow which came so suddenly and unexpectedly.
Mr. Kost had been in failing health for some time. Saturday a week ago he was taken to Peoria and placed in the St. Francis hospital where he was to receive special medical attention. He rallied and his condition seemed to be improved, when he fell asleep never to awaken again and he passed away at one o’clock Friday morning, death due to apoplexy. All the members of his immediate family were present at his bed sie, when he passed away.
The body arrived in Astoria Friday evening and was conveyed to the family home.
Mr. Kost’s business was that of a druggist, which for thirty years he successfully carried on up until the time of his death. He was a man of broad vision, always seeking the betterment of the town and community and he will be sadly missed by his business associates and all citizens as well.
The community in which he resided has lost one of its most exemplary citizens, while his family is bereft of a kind, loving and indulgent husband and father.
We believe that if Hal Kost’s wishes, relative to this sad hour could be known he would ask us to sing with Tennyson,
“Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me.
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea.”
But, sustained by Christian faith which he held in the Great Judge before whom we must all appear, he would remind us,
“For tho’ from out our bourne of Time and Place,
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face,
When I have crossed the bar.”
H. B. Kost was born in Astoria, Oct. 20, 1869. He was a graduate of the Astoria High School in the class of 1888. In 1890 he graduated from the University of pharmacy in Chicago and on his return engaged in the drug business with Dr. J. C. Toler, now of Galesburg, his brother-in-law.
On Oct. 7, 1891 he was united in marriage to Miss Colla Emerson and to them were born three children, two sons, William and Joe and one daughter, Martha, all at home.
A coincidence of rare beauty was that Mr. and Mrs. Kost were christened together as infants in the Presbyterian church of Astoria and they were friends and associates through childhood and youth until their marriage. Since that time they have been happy companions in their home and have been loyal and faithful in the highest degree to their church vows.
Mr. Kost was a member of the Masonic, Knights of Pythias, Eastern Star and Pythian Sister lodges and manifested an unfaltering devoition to the principles of the orders.
The Masonic, Knights of Pythias, Eastern Star and Pythian Sisters lodges formed in a body and marched from their respective halls to the Kost home, where funeral services were conducted by Rev. S. C. Williams, pastor of the M. E. church. Miss Colla Emerson very beautifully sang, “Face to Face” and “Beautiful Isle.”
At the close of the services the funeral cortege proceeded to the Astoria cemetery, where the Knights of Pythias and Masonic orders conducted ritualistic services. The casket bearers were: R. N. Anderson, Charles Kuhl, W. F. Condit, W. R. Brown, William Tregellas and W. S. Cooper. The floral tributes were numerous and most beautiful.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus