06 Aug Who Was Yostie?

Visitors to Coligny Plaza might notice the intricate statue of an octopus just behind the main stage in the courtyard bearing a plaque commemorating Yostie, but who was Yostie?

As the plaque states, she was a puppeteer, a storyteller and an entrepreneur of the arts. That just scratches the surface of an entertainer who became a Hilton Head Island icon and an envoy of local hospitality for generations of visitors.

Born Barb Elaine Yost, Yostie entertained children for years at Coligny Plaza along with her “friends,” (her name for the hundreds of puppets she carried with her) and her dazzling storytelling. In fact, she was such a respected storyteller she was president of the South Carolina storytelling society and was the “storytelling ambassador” to Russia and China.

Her stories and shows brought laughter to thousands of children during her days at Coligny until her unfortunate passing in December of 2012. Today we cherish her memory and commemorate all she did to create smiles and memories for the kid in us all.