She was raised in Basnettville, a small town in Marion County where her father worked as a sewing machine agent.

She studied art at Ohio Northern University and graduated from West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon.

In 1918, she left the presidency to accept a national WCTU role as Washington correspondent of that organization's journal, The Union Signal.

[5] Yost conducted a vigorous, although unsuccessful, state referendum campaign; and stepped down as president as she returned to her work for the national WCTU.

Yost served the state organization again in 1920 as leader of its campaign to secure ratification by the West Virginia legislature of the federal woman suffrage amendment.

As Chairman of the WVESA Ratification Committee, Yost organized a statewide petition drive to support woman suffrage and in late February 1920 organized a “living petition” compiled of a small delegation of women from each district ready to greet legislators as they arrived in Charleston for a special session called by the governor.

[5] A state historical marker celebrating her political career was erected by the West Virginia Division of Archives and History in 2005.