The Rev. Alyois “Aully” E. Holst, 97, of Salina, passed away Saturday, April 6, 2019, at his home in Presbyterian Manor. He was born Nov. 6, 1921, in Red Wing, Minn., to Alyois and Helen (Hoffman) Holst. Aully Holst and Joyce Bishop were married Christmas Day, 1943 in Coffeyville.
He served in the Army Air Corps from September 1942 to June 1945. After recovering from injuries sustained in a plane crash in China, where he was the sole survivor, he was stationed in Salina until his discharge in June 1945.
He enrolled in York College, Neb., in January 1946 and continued his education at Bonebrake Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio. The Rev. Holst was ordained in 1952 and served multiple churches in Kansas including Otterbein Evangelical United Brethren, Topeka, Church of the Cross E.U.B., Salina, Goodland United Methodist, and Wellington United Methodist. He served as United Methodist Kansas West Conference superintendent from 1977-1983. He retired to live in Salina in 1986.
He was an active and longtime Rotarian. He was proud to be the oldest Kansan to achieve a private pilot’s license when he was 71 years old. He liked to fish and golf. The Rev. and Mrs. Holst loved to travel and took each of their grandchildren on international trips. The Rev. Holst traveled around the world three times. He was loved and will be missed by all who knew him.
He is survived by his children, Danny Holst (Hoa) and Denee Mattioli (Charlie); grandchildren, Jennifer Margeson, Aaron Corbin, Brandon Holst, Jocelyn Bolster, Jessica Crocker and Michael Mattioli; and great-grandchildren, Jack Corbin, Sarah Corbin, Corrine Crocker, Fletcher and Molly Margeson, Jasper and Whitman Bolster, Sawyer Clark and Evan Holst.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Joyce (Bishop) Holst; son, Larry Holst; and brother, Melvin Holst.
Services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 13, at the Church of the Cross United Methodist Church, Salina, with burial following in Gypsum Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be prior to the service at the church.
Memorials are to the church, in care of Ryan Mortuary, Salina.