Lois Abbott Yost

Lois Abbott Yost died November 19, 2020, the day after her 93rd birthday. Lois led a full and happy life with her love for God and his church, for family, friends, music, gardening, travel, and volunteering. A Tampa native born 1927 in Seminole Heights, she graduated from Hillsborough High School where she was president of the senior class and a speaker at graduation. She then graduated from Otterbein College where she met her husband Jim, sang with the A Cappella choir and was active in student government and her sorority. She taught English at both Turkey Creek High School and Hillsborough High School. She sang with the Thalians, a Tampa light opera company, and the Tampa Oratorical Society. She was active leader in Otterbein and Lake Magdalene United Methodist Churches, where she taught Sunday School and sang in the choir. For over 50 years she played the piano for preschool Sunday School and loved watching her children grow into adulthood. She was proud of organizing Lake Magdalene Christian School, and served for a short time as organist at St Paul United Methodist Church in Tampa.

Lois served as local, district, and state level of United Methodist Women. She was a delegate for many years to the United Methodist Annual Conference and several sessions of Jurisdictional Conferences. She loved keeping history and was chair of the Florida Conference Commission on Archives and History and led workshops throughout the state. She also loved to keep family history and enjoyed interviewing family for her genealogy records.

She enjoyed traveling in the United States, Europe, and the Far East with husband Jim, who was president of Civitan International. She loved gardening and was a long-time member of Honeysuckle Garden Circle. She served on the Board for Young Life and was an early member of LAMPLighters, which supports Metropolitan Ministries and Joshua House. Always social, she helped plan every high school reunion through the 70th. Pre-deceased by parents Lloyd and Aline Dowling Abbott, son Charles Edwin Yost, husband Jim , sister and brother-in-law Robbins and Marjorie Abbott Denham and nephew Bob Denham. Survived by son Richard (Lisa), daughter Nancy Leach (Dr. David), grandchildren Matthew (Victoria), Lauren, and Connor, and nephew Tad Denham (Lulu).

A celebration of life will be held at a later date when we can all gather.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to LAMPLighters, Young Life or Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church.