Vaughn Herbert Yost

Vaughn Herbert Yost, age 82 of Huntsville, Alabama, passed away on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at Huntsville Hospital. Mr. Yost was born on March 24, 1936 in Minden, NE to Herbert R. Yost and Ruth Ann Bargen Yost. He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Susan Bridgewater. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Campbell Yost; brother-in-law, Gary Bridgewater of Boonville, MO; nieces Jennifer Batal (Joel) of Washington, D.C., Allison Lombardi (Paul) of Chantilly, VA and Leslie Houston (Wendell) of Athens, AL; nephew, Keith Campbell (Deb) of Athens, AL. From age nine to eighteen, he worked in his father’s International Harvester business assembling farm machinery and ordering and selling repair parts. He also learned the fundamentals of automobiles when his father added a Pontiac franchise to the business. At eighteen he began pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Summer jobs were important. With only one course in surveying, C.E. I., he successfully surveyed land for a subdivision in Joplin, MO. Another summer job in 1958 was with the U.S. Army Ballistic Missile Agency at Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. He graduated from the University of Missouri School of Engineering with a ME degree and was a 2nd Lieutenant Commission in the U.S. Army. He was called to active duty at Aberdeen Proving Ground. He eventually retired from the USAR as a colonel with 41 years, 11 months service. With his professional engineer license, he began his career with NASA at MSFC in 1961 performing materials and processing development for Saturn 1 and V, the latter vehicle propelled men to the moon. In 2006, he retired from MSFC with over 45 years of service, the last 20 of which were in the Space Shuttle Main Engine Project Office where he served as Senior Project Engineering Manager of Production Engineering. Mr. Yost was awarded an MBA in Economics from the University of Alabama, and in 1969 was inducted into the Omicron Delta Upsilon, the National Honor Society in Economics. After retiring, he enjoyed traveling with his wife and working in investment clubs with his friends. A Graveside Service for his family was held on January 12, 2019 at Roselawn Cemetery in Athens, Alabama. Limestone Chapel Funeral Home handled the arrangements.

Vaughn Herbert Yost

March 24, 1936 - January 10, 2019