by his sister Velda -

Gordon’s parents were married on July 1, 1903. Gordon was born at Belfrey, Mt on July 1, 1904, so they gave him the middle name of JULY, but he never liked it. He was the older of 2 children born to James ALBERT (Brig) Youst and Goldie Fern Hancock Youst. At age 5 the family moved to Hardin where he stayed until 1923. While in school he worked for years with the banks until they went broke. Then he marked for the Campbell Farming Corporation. He played in the Hardin band and orchestra starting with the piccolo until he played all of the woodwind instruments. He went to New York City to an accounting school but his music interest led him to attend Julliard School of Music several years. He supported himself working for banks in the city. He played for some big name bands and arranged music for the Walter Damrosch orchestra. He was married to Lillian Ottun of Hardin while living in New York. He got sick with ulcers and determined to return to Montana for healing. Divorce occurred because she would not leave. So he returned to Belfry and recuperated working on a. farm.

He was active in bands and singing for years. He stood 5'11 1/2" and weighed about 155 lbs. In 1936 he came to Billings for work. The Bank offered him $18 a week even with all of his banking experience. So he decided he could make more with music and did so on the side and he also ran a paint contracting firm - Cartrode & Youst Paint Co. All the while he played with other bands and also had his own band. That's where he met Helen but he said she was too young and she had to grow up. Finally he was married to Helen Clarice Wanderaas on Aug/30/1941. He always was so grateful he had found such a good woman. During WWII he took 6 months carpentry work in Utah to help the war effort. Then for 24 years he worked in St. Louis shipyards building tug boats for the Russians. While there he also learned the upholstery trade. To be nearer his mother and sister he moved to Sterling, Colorado are ran an upholstery shop for 2 years, and did the same thing In Scottsbluff, Nebraska. Then he paint contracted for 2 years in the Ordinance Plant at Sidney, Nebraska. He longed for Montana so they returned in 1953 and began a paint business but the spray paint had ruined his lungs. In 1958 began a carpet business from which he retired in 1966. Gordon was a perfectionist who supreme prime pride in meticulous work.

He loved working with his hands as a craftsman, but music was so big that he never got over his first love. He liked to make music in anyway. He played the piccolo, flute, clarinet, saxophone and oboe, and all the variations of these instruments. He had begun to teach himself to play the organ. He had perfect pitch and also absolute pitch in music. He loved to dance and have fun. He was a marvelous ballroom dancer. He liked to go fishing but not to hunt to kill animals with no purpose. He was an avid reader in religion and science fiction and history. He read in depth and could visit about most subjects with real understanding. As a boy he was a "protector' of his little sister and that became typical of him all his days. He liked to share with young people so they wouldn't repeat his mistakes. He’d give them hints for living. With little children he wanted to be firm but not hurt them, so soon they learned that his bark was bigger than his bite. He loved the mountains and camping out in nature. His writings and drawings were beautiful. In 1962 he began suffering arthritis. Medicine from Mexico freed him of pain these later years. He loved his family ties and gatherings. He eagerly made friends and tried to help out and make things happen right for folks. He leaves to honor his memory: his widow Helen, a sister Velda Belfrey Youst Hiller and her husband, Edwin Hill Hiller of Boulder, Colorado, a niece Gwen Johnson of Auburn, Washington, a nephew Gary Miller of Montreal, Quebec and many other friends and relatives.