Kay County OK Bios & Obituary for: Leslie K. Meek ************************************************************************ USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/kay/kay.html http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** Submitted to the archives by: J. R. Meek Date submitted: 28Mar2012 *********************************************************************** Obit & Bios for Leslie K. Meek Kansas Historical Society Microfilm Roll NP3867 The Centralia Journal January 26, 1935 Obituary Leslie K. Meek Died Monday L. K. Meek, banker and civic leader of Ponca City, Okla., and prominent throughout the southwest, died here today. He came to Oklahoma 25 years ago at the suggestion of William T. Kemper of Kansas City, who told Meek, when the latter appeared at Kamper’s bank: “You don’t want a job. Go down into Oklahoma and get you a bank.” He did. He became one of Oklahoma’s most widely known [bankers as president of the] State Banker’s Association in 1926, president of the Oklahoma Banker’s Association in 1928, vice president of the American Banker Association in 1929, chairman of the banker’s code committee of Oklahoma in 1933, chairman through appointment by Mr. Kemper of the Oklahoma committee to appraise the assets of restricted or failed banks, and at his death was on the American Bankers Association committee on banking practice and public relations. Meek first located at Mulhall in 1910 [ed note: Sept 1909] , a small town made famous by the late Col. Zack Mulhall. He stayed in Mulhall until 1918, made money and then came to Ponca City to head a bank in which E. W. Marland, Dan Donahoe and other local citizens were interested. He was a native of Marysville, Mo. ---Monday’s Kansas City Star. The Meek family came to Centralia early in the 80’s and located on a farm southwest of Centralia. Leslie was a small boy when his parents came to Kansas; and this was his home and where he grew to manhood. He left here nearly 30 years ago, but came back here on visits as long as his parents lived here. He was a fine man, a hard worker, and deserved the splendid reputation he made for himself. His mother, Mrs. J. M. Meek, has been with him since he became so sick, and was with him when he died. His family and relatives have the sympathy of all here in their sorrow. The Ponca City News in their Cherokee Strip celebration edition of 10 September 1939 published a lengthy column on L.K. Meek titled: "L.K. Meek Eminent In City's Progress. Rose to Leadership in Community and State Bank Affairs". In a February, 1967, supplemental edition to The Ponca City News in recognition of The Security Bank's fiftieth anniversary, a noteworthy article entitled "Community Leader and Booster, L.K. Meek Built Ponca City as Well as Bank He Guided", parts of which are as follows: "Ponca City has never possessed any one citizen who surpassed the late L.K. Meek as a community leader, enthusiastic town builder and unceasing booster" This is the description of the second president of The Security Bank given in the 1939 Cherokee Strip edition of The Ponca City News. "He was a natural when there was civic work to be done. While still a comparatively young man, he died on Jan. 21, 1935, at the age of 52" continued a writer who had known L.K., as everyone called him. (Note: s/b age 53, two days short of his 54th birthday, the day he was buried) From the time L.K. Meek came to Ponca City from Mulhall he was closely associated with the growth of the community. In recognition, he was voted Ponca City's most useful citizen in 1934. (Note: awarded January 9, 1935; LKM being too ill to attend, the plaque was accepted by his son J. R. Meek according to a PC News article) Born in Marysville, Mo., he grew up on a farm in Nemaha County, Kansas, and went to a country school. Following graduation from the Kansas State Normal at Emporia in 1902, he taught school, but did not like it. He became a bookkeeper in a Humboldt, Kansas, bank. Almost immediately his primary interest was in the note-case. His interest in the the note-case continued and in late 1909, Meek purchased an interest in the Oklahoma State Bank at Mulhall. He remained in Mulhall until 1918, when he came to Ponca City as cashier of the young Security State Bank. Shortly thereafter he was elected its president and managing officer. The Ponca City Building and Loan Company -now the Ponca City Savings and Loan Association-- was newly organized when Meek arrived. At the insistence of E. W. Marland, Meek took over management of the company and was president until two weeks before his death. During those 17 years, the company became one of the largest and most solidly diversified institutions of its type in the state. Meek helped organize Ponca City under the charter form of government and was the first commissioner of public property. Other commissioners then were Harry Cragin, piioneer lumberman, and James S. Hutchins, early day merchant. As commissioner, Meek put the municipal electric and water plants on a paying basis, which today are the primary sources of the city's revenue to defray costs of police protection, fire protection, public parks, and many other public facilities. The Ponca City school district was "on the rocks" when Meek became president of the local school board. He built up a financial foundation in this area which stands today. Another civic organization which profited from L.K. Meek's leadership is the Chamber of Commerce. Founded soon after Ponca City became a plains community at the opening of the Cherokee Strip, it was known as the Board of Trade or Commercial Club. Meek was a leader in its reorganization into the Chamber of Commerce. E.W. Marland was the first president, Meek was the second, serving two terms. He was also president of Rotary and the Rock Cliff Country Club. But business and civic organizations were not the only groups benefitting from Meek's financial acumen. More than 200 salaried men were helped by it during the depression years. He sat down with inexperienced money managers and helped them work out budgets they could meet. Later, he wrote to their creditors telling them of the budget and that he, Meek, would act as trustee until all debts were paid. This was the forerunner of the credit union at Continental Oil Company. Meek's interests extended beyond his community. He served as president of the Oklahoma Bankers Association, as a vice-president of the American Bankers Association and president of the State Bankers Association. He was often called upon to address financial groups throughout the country and his opinions were published in financial journals. W.T. Kemper of the Commerce Trust Company in Kansas City, upon whose advice L.K. Meek purchased the Mulhall bank, recommended him to the Ponca City men seeking a head for The Security State Bank as the "brightest and smartest man he knew". He had an abundance of energy and enthusiasm which made their impression throughout the institutions with which he was associated and on everything in which he was interested. L.K. Meek was one of the "large men in a small community" who made Ponca City unique in the nation. Another interesting short article from the aforementioned 50th anniversary edition was "L.K. Meek Gave Employees Respect", as follows: "L.K. Meek made each Security Bank employee feel necessary to the organization, Marie O'Neill recalls. Marie agreed to work for three months during vacations. She retired more than 40 years later. At Christmas time when L.K. would give employees a bonus, he never said he was giving it to them, he always let them know he felt they had earned it. Regardless of how small the job, it was important in his eyes and he inspired in the employee the same opinion."