Sandy Kost, 63, of Sioux Falls, SD, has passed away, leaving behind a family and community who loved her dearly.
Some lives speak quietly; her is one such story.
Born in 1963, Sandy began a life that would touch many along the way.
Sandy held deeply to the Lutheran faith — and was, by all accounts, loved by those who knew her best.
The community of faith holds its own well — and Sandy was held.
Sandra Kost, lovingly known as Sandy (Paeth) was a member of Parker High School class of 1981, passed away surrounded by those she loved at Sanford USD Medical Center on April 26, 2026.A Celebration of Life will take place at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Sunday, May 3, 2026. Family will be present to greet guests beginning at 1:00 p.m., with the service starting at 2:30 p.m. Sandy's family invites you to join them for a time of reception and fellowship following the service.In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given in Sandy's honor. Her family will use these gifts to pay it forward by supporting other families navigating the challenges of a loved one's cancer diagnosis.Sandy Kost was a Sioux Falls native, born at Sioux Valley Hospital and raised on an acreage one mile from Wall Lake. The youngest of three sisters — Susan and Sharon came eleven and eight years before her — she arrived as a happy surprise, and her sisters still tease that their parents had been "worn down" by the time she came along. The country gave her a wide childhood: chickens to tend, horses to ride, and miles of gravel and pavement she covered on her bike, sometimes pedaling into town along 41st Street for a treat at the Milky Way or 7-Eleven, or heading to Wall Lake to swim and the roller rink to skate.At small-school Parker, where she rode 20 miles each way as first-on and last-off the bus, Sandy did everything: cheerleader, annual staff, newspaper, choir, class officer. She played piano and percussion from fifth grade through her senior year — snare, trap set, and the quads in the marching drumline.She went on to Moorhead State, joined Gamma Phi Beta, and earned a degree in Business and Human Resources Management. Back in Sioux Falls, she took a job at Citibank, where she met Todd Kost at a company party in 1986. They married a year later and moved to Milwaukee for Todd's career, staying seven years while Sandy climbed from office manager into marketing and management roles at an insurance company. Their first son, Chandler, was born there in 1992.A move home to Sioux Falls brought a regional manager role spanning six states for the insurance company that would later become part of United Healthcare. Son Austin arrived in 1995. When the company asked her to relocate to St. Louis in 2000, she said no and instead founded 1st Dakota Insurance School. The flexibility let her be present for two athletic boys whose schedules kept the family on the road — including following Austin to SDSU, where he played Division I baseball.Today Chandler and his wife Ashley live in Elko New Market, Minnesota, with sons Beckham and Maddox. Chandler is a financial Analyst for Level 10 Property Management in the Twin Cities. Ashley and Chandler also own Kost Productions, a wedding videography and photography business. Both are involved in the business. Austin lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, and founded Metastone Capital, a real estate investment firm headquartered in Sioux Falls. Todd manages the financials and oversees the property management firm.Sandy and Todd were active travelers, hikers, golfers, and devoted concertgoers — Nickelback, the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Prince, Bruno Mars, Janet Jackson, Maroon 5, Lady Gaga, and Beyoncé among them. Sandy was invited to P.E.O. Chapter CL by her lifelong friend and Gamma Phi sister Nancee Sturdevant and was initiated alongside her sister Sharon Nelson and Ann Weckwerth. She has held a variety of offices and put the chapter yearbook together for many years. She worked full time at Holmes Murphy Insurance, advising large corporations on employee benefits. Her community work spans more than twenty years with Junior Achievement, along with CASA, Call to Freedom, and a sustaining membership in the Junior League. The family attends Gloria Dei Lutheran Church.
