William R. Hornbeck Jr.

William R. Hornbeck, Jr. was born August 20, 1936 at Lakeside Hospital in KCMO, during the hottest summer on record in KC!   Dad proudly lived his entire life in KC, never considering moving anywhere else, though he had job offers to do that!   He was a parishioner of St. Elizabeth’s School in KCMO and attended the school K- 8.  Bill attended Rockhurst High School, and then, Rockhurst College for his Accounting undergraduate degree.   He also graduated from UMKC with an MBA.   Bill served two years in the Army, in Algiers & France during the Algerian war.   During the KC summers, he worked for Dasta (where his mom worked), played sports, fished & hunted with his father at the Ozarks and has a million stories of the antics of he & his childhood friends, who stayed friends for life!!

Bill married Carol Ann Diercks in April, 1958, and nine months later, Cathy was born, followed by Eric in June, 1960 and Steve in July, 1963.  Dad grew up in a Dible house, and bought his family a Dible house in Rockhill Gardens in 1966!   He worked for Touché Ross then IBM where he was a computer salesman.  He loved his sales job and landed the huge Hallmark account, where he spent many hours overseeing the ‘rooms’ of equipment (including punch cards), to completely change the way Hallmark sold greeting cards - instead of taking weeks to know which cards sold best, it would now be instant!   This was not the first time our family worked with Hallmark - our maternal grandmother, Metta Smith, was Joyce C Hall’s first secretary, for years in midtown, then downtown KC.  Dad also worked at Innovative Software and at the family business of manufacturing & supplying home decor products with Midwest Products.  We went to California every year, mostly to LA & Palm Springs to visit his mother, our grandmother, Helen Hinds.  We always managed a trip or two to old Vegas, for many adventures there!!  

Dad belonged to various social & sport clubs throughout his life and in the early 1970’s, he was the KCAC Men’s Handball Champion of KC!  He was also a founding member of the Waldo Historical Society, (purely social) and founding Chiefs season ticket holders at both Municipal & Arrowhead - Bill & Carol were AVID Chiefs fans.   Many an away game watch parties were held at our home!!    Dad loved happy hour!!    He also loved spending time with his numerous friends and was so proud of their achievements, Lastly, he loved sports!

Bill leaves behind a wife, Rosemary; daughter Cathy & Mike with Grandchildren Ryan & Erin, Heather, Stephen, Kevin & fiancée, Megan Rund, and beautiful great grandchildren, Willow & Sage;  Son Eric Hornbeck, of Dallas, Texas; and son Steve & Mary Hornbeck, grandchildren Andrew & Abby, Carolyn & Will Andruss, Matthew Joe and beautiful great grandchildren Livi & Ledger.  He was so proud of all of them!!!

Dad, your wisdom & stories will be very much missed!! We love you!!