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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.



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