PAUL UHLMANN, JR. Obituary (1920 - 2016)

Mr. Paul Uhlmann Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather, left this world peacefully on March 30, 2016, in his home of 65 years with his children and their spouses by his side. Mr. Uhlmann celebrated his 95th birthday this past November, with a weekend of festivities attended by family and friends. A true gentleman, Mr. Uhlmann was a renaissance man- elegant, charming, and articulate. His blue eyes sparkled with humor and quick wit and he was known for crafting personal poems and songs to celebrate special occasions for his many friends and family. Born in Kansas City in 1920 to the late Selma and Paul Uhlmann Sr., Mr. Uhlmann had a very happy childhood. He was an insatiable reader and historian, excelled at Southwest High School and later attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, NH. A member of the Greatest Generation, following graduation, he enlisted in 1942 in Officers Training School and became a Captain in the Army Air Force. In 1947, he met the love of his life, the late Barbara Uhlmann, at a party in Montgomery, Ala. They were engaged 6 weeks after a blind date, and married 4 months later. They were happily married for 61 years until Mrs. Uhlmann’s untimely death in 1999. Mr. Uhlmann enjoyed a long and successful career as a businessman. While he was admitted to Yale Law School, he chose instead to establish a business with his long- time friend John Latshaw; Uhlmann/ Latshaw was a New York Stock Exchange general securities firm which later merged with E. F. Hutton. The scion of an old German grain trading family, Mr. Uhlmann joined his father and his brother and best friend, Pat, in acquiring Standard Milling Company, makers of Ceresota and Hecker’s Flour. The milling business took Mr. Uhlmann to Buffalo, NY for three months every year, and the family resided nearby in Bay Beach, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Uhlmann and his family including his son Paul III, his nephews Robert and the late John Uhlmann, grew the company through the acquisitions of hot cereals Maypo and Wheatena, and a charcoal briquette business. Today, Paul III and grandson-in-law, Wes, continue to run the family business. Mr. Uhlmann was extremely civic minded and there were few organizations that did not benefit from his generosity and leadership. He served on many boards including Grand Avenue Bank, Menorah Medical Center and Planned Parenthood, but his true passion and focus was the founding of The New Reform Temple in 1969 serving as its first president. Through avid his interest in Reform Judaism, Mr. Uhlmann served on the national board of the URJ and was Chairman of the Editorial Board of the magazine Reform Judaism and in 1975 was selected “Man of the Year” by the magazine. He was a longtime member of the Carriage Club and Oakwood Country Club where his father Paul Sr. had been president. Beginning in 1981, Mr. Uhlmann and his wife enjoyed wonderful winters in Paradise Valley, Arizona visited by family and friends from all over the country. They were famous for their entertaining both in Arizona and in Kansas City. He and his wife were particularly well-known for their New Year’s Eve party and the “leftovers” brunch New Year’s Day. Mr. Uhlmann is survived by his devoted son and daughter, Paul Uhlmann III of Mission Hills, KS and Caro Uhlmann Rock, of Gladwyne, PA, their spouses Elizabeth Bloch Uhlmann and Robert Henry Rock. He will be very much missed by grandchildren William U. Rock (Carla), Thomas A. Rock (Kristen), Lauren U. Blazar (Aaron), Emily U. Fehsenfeld (Wesley), James Paul Uhlmann, and great grandchildren Sophie Blazar, Francesca Rock, Madeleine Rock, Caro Fehsenfeld and Elizabeth Rock. The family is very grateful to Beverly Parks and the rest of his wonderful office colleagues, and they wish to express their deepest gratitude and appreciation to Mr. Uhlmann’s loving caregivers, particularly Opal Johnson and Ruth Craig as well as Henrietta, Laurie, Mae and Olive. Funeral service will be at 1:30pm on Friday, April 1st at The New Reform Temple, Gregory and Main, Kansas City, Mo. Interment is private. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to The New Reform Temple or the Kemper Museum.