Dr. Harold Stanley Kost, 88, of Holliston, passed away at his home on Monday, January 10, 2022. Born in Houston, Texas, he was the son of the late Mamie (Bunin) and Joseph Louis Kost. He was the beloved husband of 65 ½ years to Greta (Chodorow) Kost, whom he met at twelve years old.

Harold led an accomplished life. As a young student, he skipped ahead many grades and graduated at the age of 15 from the Thomas Jefferson High School in San Antonio, TX.  He attended college and medical school at the University of Texas, graduating at the age of 22. Harold proudly served as a Major in the United States Army and was active in the medical corps, serving in El Paso, San Francisco, Munich, Germany and Natick Army Labs.

After settling in Holliston in 1964, Harold started a private practice of Internal Medicine in Bellingham, at times taking his young daughters on house calls when appropriate. After several years, he joined John Hancock, where he rose to become a Senior VP and Medical Director, where he also created one of the first on-site employee health programs and was loved for the care and leadership he provided. He helped with one of the first harm reduction programs locally in the 1960s, by volunteering for the Dial Help program. When the life insurance industry changed in the 1980s, he served as consulting Medical Director to several companies, including Sun Life and others. He was passionate about photography, electronics, gardening, and nature, and especially the daily private showing of wildlife that wandered to the yard from Houghton’s pond.  He enjoyed all kinds of music and theater, and with Greta was a regular attendee at concerts, ballet, musicals and plays in Boston and Worcester. He was an avid Ham radio operator throughout his life; under the call signs W1BUF, and K1HK, he kept up communications through Morse code and voice, with many radio enthusiasts around the world.  In his later years, he became a regular at the local coffee shop, building new friendships in Holliston that he came to treasure. He enjoyed the outdoors and his family, and was a devoted and loving husband and father, and an affectionate grandfather.  He will be terribly missed.

In addition to his wife, Harold is survived by 3 daughters, Linda Kost (Wylie Willson), Rhonda Kost (Alfred Spector), Sharon Kost (Sam Koszer); grandchildren, Emily, Asher, and Benjamin Spector, and Joshua, and Bryan Koszer. He also leaves behind his brother-in-law, Hilton Chodorow (Barbara); sister-in-law, Florence Kost; nieces and nephews, Jordan (Daniel) and Piera (Adam) Chodorow, Penny Rummel (Jerry), Susan Scherr (Mattie), Kathryn Kost (David), Alan Kost (Katherine). He is predeceased by his siblings, Louise Scherr and Bernard Kost and a nephew, Bryan Kost.

A graveside interment is being held privately with family. A memorial will be held at a later date. Donations may be made to the American Heart Association, heart.org. Friends and family are encouraged to leave remembrances and anecdotes on this memorial site or on Harold’s Facebook page as a source of comfort to his family. 

Arrangements are under the care of the Chesmore Funeral Home of Holliston, www.ChesmoreFuneralHome.com