Theophil Kost

Theophil Kost, 93, of Miller, passed away Friday, May 28, 2010 at the Miller Good Samaritan Center.

Funeral Services were held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, June 2, 2010 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Miller with Pastor Bob Ohnstad officiating. Burial followed at G.A.R. Cemetery in Miller.  Visitation was held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 1, 2010 at Reck Funeral Home in Miller.

Theophil was born June 6, 1916 in Olivet, South Dakota to Phillip and Barbara (Gramm) Kost.  The family later moved to a farm south of Ree Heights.  Theophil attended grade school in Ree Heights. 

On June 24, 1939, he married Elsie Christman in Mitchell, South Dakota.  To this union, one daughter, Judy Mae, was born.  In 1940’s, Theophil began hauling grain and cattle for his brother Richard before eventually owning his own truck line.  He did this for most of his life.  In 1950, Theophil and his brother Edwin purchased a farm north of Miller.  Theophil and his family lived on the farm until 1969 when they moved into Miller to run the Bottle Stop Liquor.  They ran the store for a couple of years before returning to the farm.  Theophil also worked for area farmers during planting and harvesting.  As a side job and entertainment, Theophil and Richard would go to farm sales to sell watermelons.

Elsie passed away in 1982.  Theophil then met and married Bernice Olson in 1983 and they later made their home in Huron.  In 2006, Bernice passed away, Theophil returned to Miller in 2007 where he resided at the Miller Manor before entering the Miller Good Samaritan Center in 2009.

Theophil enjoyed fishing, hunting, dancing, socializing and gardening.  In his later years, he enjoyed trips to the Aesoph farm to look at the new machinery, cattle and farm land.  He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Miller.

He is survived by one daughter, Judy Mae (Joe) Thiel of Miller; two granddaughters: Staci (Mike) Aesoph of rural Highmore and Holli (Chip) Doss of Chandler, AZ; five great grandsons: Andrew Aesoph, Joseph Aesoph, Nathan Aesoph, Oliver Aesoph and Austin Auch; three step children: Dorothy Evenson of Willow Lake, Ron (Sue) Olson of Mitchell, and Janice (Curt) Asleason of Wisconsin; and several step grandchildren, step great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.

Theophil was preceded in death by his parents; two wives; three sisters; and four brothers.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Theophil's arrangements.

MINISTER
Pastor Bob Ohnstad

CASKETBEARERS
Andrew Aesoph
Joseph Aesoph
Nathan Aesoph
Oliver Aesoph
Mike Aesoph
Austin Auch

ORGANIST
Janice Kost

CONGREGATIONAL HYMNS
"I Love to Tell the Story"
"How Great Thou Art"
"You Have Come Down to the Lakeshore"

INTERMENT
G.A.R. Cemetery
Miller, South Dakota