8-K

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                UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    Form 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

        Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): October 4, 2004

                            UMB FINANCIAL CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         Missouri                     0-4887                  43-0903811
      (State or other              (Commission             (I.R.S. Employer
      jurisdiction of              File Number)           Identification No.)
      incorporation)

                                1010 Grand Blvd.
                              Kansas City, MO 64106
                (Address of principal executive office)(Zip Code)

                                 (816) 860-7889
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

                                 Not Applicable
          (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

|_|   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
      (17 CFR 230.425)

|_|   Soliciting  material  pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
      (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

|_|   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))




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Item 5.02   Departure of Directors or Principal Officers; Election of Directors;
            Appointment of Principal Officers.

            (a)   Not applicable.

            (b)   Disclosure . . . when a director retires,  resigns, is removed
                  or refuses to stand for  re-election for any reason other than
                  as a result of a disagreement or for cause.

                  On October 4, 2004, UMB Financial  Corporation (the "Company")
                  issued a press  release  announcing  R.  Crosby  Kemper  Jr.'s
                  retirement  and  resignation   from  the  Company's  Board  of
                  Directors,  effective  October  29,  2004,  after  54 years of
                  service  to the  Company.  A copy of  this  press  release  is
                  attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

            (c)   Not applicable.

            (d)   Not applicable.

Item 9.01   Financial Statements and Exhibits

            (c)   Exhibits.

                  99.1  Press  Release,  dated  October 4,  2004,  issued by UMB
                        Financial Corporation.





                                  Signature(s)

    Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
    Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the
                      undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                                          UMB FINANCIAL CORPORATION


                                          By:   /s/ Daniel C. Stevens
                                               -------------------------------
                                               Daniel C. Stevens
                                               Chief Financial Officer

Date:  October 4, 2004.



                                       2

EX-99

UMB
________________________________________________________________________________

                                               Information Release
UMB Financial Corporation
1010 Grand Boulevard
Kansas City, Mo. 64141

October 4, 2004                         For more information, please contact:
                                                 Jill Stockham, 816-860-5606
                                                 Bridget Hess, 816-860-5644



             UMB ANNOUNCES THE RETIREMENT OF R. CROSBY KEMPER JR.


      Kansas City, Mo.  - UMB Financial Corporation [NASDAQ: UMBF] announced
today that R. Crosby Kemper Jr., senior chairman of the board, will retire
from the company and its board of directors on October 29 after 54 years of
service. The UMB Financial Corporation board of directors is expected to
consider an ongoing consulting arrangement with Mr. Kemper at its quarterly
meeting on October 28.

      "My father's dedication to this company and his influence in making it one
of the great independent banks left in the country have had a great impact on
the banking industry and throughout each community where UMB has a presence,"
said Mariner Kemper, chairman and CEO. "His insight, wisdom and leadership are a
constant guide for me as a banker and member of the community. I only hope that
my contemporaries and I can make as positive and lasting of an impression as he
has."

      After serving two years in the U.S. Navy and attending the University of
Missouri in Columbia, Mo., Mr. Kemper began his banking career in 1950. His
first position with what was then called City National Bank and Trust was on the
night shift of the bank's transit department. He later went on to work in nearly
every department within the company before being named executive vice president
in 1957, president in 1959, chairman and CEO in 1971 and senior chairman in
2001.

      "In my 54 years in banking, I have seen the industry evolve considerably.
Yet even throughout these changes I have worked very hard to maintain strong
relationships with customers as my father and grandfather did before me," said
R. Crosby Kemper Jr. "I have been honored to work with many talented peers and
associates throughout my career, and I have the utmost confidence that Mariner
and his management team will successfully carry out UMB's plan for growth and
its tradition of excellent products and services."





      Mr. Kemper's civic involvement has been far reaching over the past 54
years. His community activities have included involvement with: Agricultural
Future of America, Albrecht-Kemper Museum, American Royal Association, Bacchus,
Beta Theta Pi fraternity, Boy Scouts of America, Children's Mercy Hospital,
Heart of America United Way Council, Historic Kansas City Foundation, Jewel
Ball, Kansas City Art Institute, Kansas City Missouri Chamber of Commerce,
Kansas City Symphony Foundation, Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Lyric Opera,
Research Hospital, Rockhurst College, and Starlight Theatre.

      UMB Financial Corporation is a $7 billion holding company headquartered in
Kansas City, Mo. The company offers banking and related financial services to
individual and business customers. It owns and operates 153 banking centers
throughout Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska.

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