Wilbur Hook

Wilbur Hook, a long time resident of Shawnee Kansas, passed away on July 5th, 2018 at the age of 90.  Wilbur was born at home on June 3, 1928 in the Argentine neighborhood of Kansas City, Kansas. He was the oldest of four children growing up on his family's small farm, where he first learned the value of hard work.  Tiring of his long walk to school at Turner High School, Wilbur found a farmer who had a barn next to the school and he negotiated a small fee to house his horse during school hours so he could ride to school.  These negotiating skills would serve him well in the years to come.

In 1946, Wilbur married the love of his life, Yvonne True, and she would be at his side for the next 70 years.  He began work for Standard Brands, and after work he would drive his tractor around Shawnee offering his plowing services to earn extra money.  With the Korean War looming Wilbur was drafted into the army and stationed for two years at Fort Riley. After his time in the army he moved back to Shawnee and resumed his work at Standard Brands.  He was soon offered a promotion in the company that would require that he and Yvonne move to New York City. Wilbur declined and quit his job.

His job search, which would be his last, didn’t take long.  His good friend Bill Moffett, who learned that Wilbur had the knack for meeting people and developing new business relationships, offered him his first job in banking as a teller at Centennial Bank in Mission, Kansas.  Later, the owners of Centennial would purchase Industrial State Bank, which was located in the Argentine community of Wilbur's youth.  Wilbur joined the new bank as an officer and director.  Eventually, Industrial was purchased by Valley View Bancshares, which was part of the banking empire primarily owned by the Morgan and Dreiseszun families.  At that time, after many years of hard work, Wilbur was named President of Industrial State Bank, which would be a tremendous point of pride for him for the rest of his life.  Ultimately the group would include a number of Kansas City banking institutions, including Valley View State Bank, Industrial State Bank, Security Bank of Kansas City, and The Mission Bank. Wilbur had become a valued and trusted member of the group, and he was an important part of senior management at all of these institutions.  He worked in a variety of roles, including serving as the Chairman of the Board of Security Bank of Kansas City.  Wilbur retired after many years of service with the group in January of 2000.  In 2016 all of the banks of the Valley View Bancshares group were unified under the Security Bank of Kansas City charter, which is now the third largest bank based in the Kansas City area.

In 1957 friends and businessmen in Shawnee convinced Wilbur to run for the Shawnee City Council, and later for mayor.  At the age of 29 Wilbur was elected the Mayor of Shawnee.  He served from 1958 through 1965, earning a salary of just $1.00 per year. He led meetings in the old volunteer fire station because there was not yet a City Hall, but by the end of 1960 he had built the city's first City Hall.  Shawnee soon began a long period of growth under Wilbur's tenure.  During those years Shawnee grew significantly through annexation, added fire trucks and patrol cars, acquired streetlights, put in sewers, built the town's first municipal swimming pool, and issued the city's first industrial revenue bonds.  As Wilbur neared his final term the population of Shawnee reached over 16,000, growing more than four fold since he took on the role of mayor just a few years earlier. Wilbur was Shawnee's oldest living mayor.

Wilbur was passionate about making a difference through hard work and holding steadfast to his beliefs and values.  These attributes he impressed on his children, Steve and Jan, who were his pride and joy.  When his children were young, Wilbur purchased a home at the Lake of the Ozarks where they would go almost every summer weekend for many years.  Some of his fondest memories were of the times they spent boating on the lake.

Wilbur was a member of Milburn Country Club where he would have business lunches every week.  He also belonged to Lake Quivira Country Club, and he was a long-time member of The Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kansas.

After delaying his retirement for years, Wilbur enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and traveling to Branson with Yvonne.  His first great grandchild was born one week prior to his passing and he was thrilled to see the pictures of the new addition to the family.

Wilbur was preceded in death by his parents Robert and Ruby Hook, his sisters Ruth and Marilyn, and his brother James "Jay" Hook.  He is survived by his wife Yvonne Hook, his son Steve Hook, his daughter Jan McConnell (Ladd), his granddaughters Kelsey Hook, Alli Houghan (Stephen), Nikki Coykendall (Sean), Andrea McConnell, Lindsay DeAndrade (James), Kelly McConnell, Molly McConnell, and his one week old great granddaughter Avery Coykendall.

His legacy of hard work, love and devotion will be carried on through his family and friends who knew and loved him.

Funeral service will be on Thursday, July 19th at 10:00 AM at Village Presbyterian Church, 6641 Mission Rd, Prairie Village, KS 66208.  Reception to follow.

The family suggests that memorial contributions can be made to:

Disabled American Veterans
PO BOX 14301
Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301
877-426-2838
www.dav.org

Or

American Red Cross
Greater Kansas City Chapter
211 W. Armour Blvd.
Kansas City, MO 64111-2094
816-931-8400
www.kcredcross.org

Or

The Village Presbyterian Church
6641 Mission Road
Prairie Village, KS 66208
913-262-4200
www.villagepres.org