Mid-Missouri Bank chairman dies

Lee Gilbert, chairman of Mid-Missouri Bancshares Inc., died Oct. 6 at Cox South in Springfield. He was 79.

Funeral services are scheduled for today at 1:30 p.m. at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada, which is roughly 100 miles north of Springfield.

Gilbert was a lifelong banker and perhaps made his largest mark on the Springfield-area community as a leader of Mid-Missouri Bancshares, the holding company for Mid-Missouri Bank. Gilbert, who lived in Nevada for more than 20 years, called Springfield home for the past 14 years, according to an obituary posted on Ferry Funeral Home's Web site.

In 2006, Gilbert helped to spearhead the merger of Mid-Missouri, Central State Bancshares Inc. and First Financial Bancshares Inc. Gilbert served as president and CEO of the merged company, which kept the Mid-Missouri name, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

According to SBJ archives, the privately held bank had assets of $485.5 million in March.

Gilbert was a member of the Missouri Banker's Association and the American Banker's Association. Through the Missouri association, Gilbert was a member of the 50-Year Club, bankers who have given 50 years of service to the banking community.

Gilbert, who was born in Quincy, is survived by his wife Wanda; two daughters, Stephanie and Elizabeth; two grandchildren, Brian Riedy and his wife Kristen, and Jennifer Riedy; two great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Phyllis Ann Gilbert; his sister, Jewell Higgins; and two brothers, Edgar and Russell Gilbert, according to the obituary.[[In-content Ad]]