Milton Louis Krist age 95 passed away Saturday September 3, 2016 at his residence in Marion Ohio. Milton was born March 8, 1921 in Lakewood Ohio; the kind and humble son of the late Louis and Anna (Masola) Krist.
Milton attended Lakewood High School where he was an honor student receiving a college scholarship for academics as well as being an outstanding athlete in track, basketball, and baseball. He graduated from Lakewood in 1940 and went on to proudly serve his country in the US Army during WWII from 1942 to 1946.
In the US Army Milton completed Advanced Radio Communications training at Camp Davis, North Carolina; the Coyne Electrical School of Chicago, Illinois; then on to graduate from the National Radio School of Los Angeles, California.
Milton served in the Asiatic Pacific Theater of operations on the island of Okinawa, Japan during WWII leading a squad of 14 men responsible for the installation and maintenance of radio communications lines, field equipment, logging of communications, and the reception and transmission of communications using both voice and CW the International Morse Code. Milton completed his service and was honorably discharged after the war with several decorations at the rank of Technician Fourth Grade from the 329th Anti Aircraft Artillery Search Light Battalion in March 1946 at Camp Atterbury, Indianna.
Studying radio and telecommunications in the service and into civilian life Milton achieved Amateur Radio Relay League Advanced Class License status and was assigned call sign “K8CUY”. He was a past president of the Marion Ohio Amateur Radio Club where he instructed classes and tested students studying for their ARRL licenses, participated in emergency preparedness “field day” drills, built antennas, radios, and other equipment while enjoying communicating over the public airways with family and friends.
Milton also served as a past Commander of the Marion Sail and Power Squadron where he taught public boater education classes covering topics of boating terms and types, marine radiotelephones, aids to navigation, adverse conditions, boat handling, trailer boating, and personal watercraft safety as well as advanced courses in seamanship, piloting, sailing, navigation. Milton always tried to set an example for others through education and practicing boater safety.
On June 8, 1941 Milton met the love of his life at the Rollarium roller skating rink in Lakewood Ohio on her 16th birthday. She faithfully waited on him through his service years in the US Army with telephone calls, written letters, and visits home while on leave. On May 28, 1949 Milton married Ruth L. Herbert at Saint Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Sandusky, Ohio and began their life together living in Fairview Park then Lakewood, Ohio.
Milton would soon to learn his newly wed bride meant business from time to time. Following an afternoon fishing trip out of the Rocky River on Lake Erie for perch and blue pike in a 16 foot Lyman boat he owned with his father, they returned to port about 4 hours overdue but with a nice cooler of fish around 2:00 AM to a locked house. He tried to explain the fish were biting so well it was hard to leave but Ruth told him from the top bedroom window that he could just take those fish to his parents for the night. They laughed about this over and over but Milton was probably never late again.
Milton and Ruth both worked in Cleveland where Milton was employed at Fuller, Smith, and Ross Advertising Agency while Ruth worked at Paine, Webber, Jackson and Curtis brokerage as a telephone switchboard operator. In 1957 they moved to Marion, Ohio where Milton was promoted to media buyer and eventually retired from the Howard Swink Advertising Agency of Marion, Ohio. During his time in advertising Milton was the president of several advertising associations, authored many articles for trade publications, and gave numerous speeches at advertising conferences.
Milton enjoyed his family time most by supporting and encouraging his wife and five sons in their individual activities. Milton also had many hobbies of his own including being an accomplished accordion and organ player, using his Amateur Radio skills to make “contacts” and communicate with family members, working on electronics, and shooting pool. He especially enjoyed fishing, boating, and spending quality time entertaining friends and family at several trailers throughout the years at seasonal campgrounds along Lake Erie from Vermillion to Marblehead Ohio, as well as travel trailering around the US and Canada with Ruth after retirement. Milton also enjoyed supporting his wife’s ceramics business by processing the liquid ceramic slip from the molding process to the finished ceramics she then painted. They traveled together to craft shows where he truly enjoyed meeting old friends and making new ones along they way to name just a few.
Milton was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Marion, Ohio and will truly be missed by his surviving wife Ruth (Herbert) Krist of 67 years raising five sons; Lawrence (Bonnie) Krist of Galloway, Ohio, Thomas (Betty) Krist, Mark (Cathy) Krist, and Bruce (Tammy) Krist of Marion, Ohio and James (Lisa) Krist of Sunbury, Ohio as well as seven grandchildren and several great-grandchildren.
Milton is survived by two younger brothers; Leo Krist of Brunswick, Ohio and George Krist of Parma, Ohio.
The family would like to express its gratitude to all the nurses, aids, and staff at Genesis HealthCare Presidential Center, Heartland Hospice Care Services, Gunder/Hall & Snyder Funeral Home as well as Thomas and Betty Krist for all their care giving to Milton in his times of need.
Milton’s family will greet friends Friday, September 9, 2016 at the Gunder/Hall & Snyder Funeral Home, 347 West Center St., Marion from 10:30AM to 12:30PM; A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Church at 251 North Main St., Marion at 1PM with Fr. Thomas Buffer officiating; Burial will follow at St. Mary’s Catholic Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Heartland Hospice.
“K8CUY has signed off…” <73 and 88>
The Gunder/Hall & Snyder Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Krist family and condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting www.SnyderFuneralHomes.com
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