Former West Plains Mayor Jack Pahlmann died Monday at his home at the age of 85. Pahlmann served as the city’s mayor from August 2012 through April 2021, following a 12-year tenure on the city council that began in 2000.
During his administration, the city navigated major milestones and historical crises, including recovery efforts from catastrophic flooding in 2017, the groundbreaking of a municipal solar farm, and the public health challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.
Beyond city hall, Pahlmann was a member of the West Plains Optimist Club and generous with his time and money in support of local causes. He and his late wife Inez, who died in 2023, owned United Country - Missour Ozarks Realty, a local business now operated by their daughter, Kim Grennan.
In 2009, the couple established the Pahlmann Family Endowed Scholarship at Missouri State University-West Plains to assist students from Ozark County, where Inez was initially from and maintained close ties. Their charitable giving expanded significantly in recent years, including a $25,000 donation to the Ozarks Healthcare Mobile Mammography Unit in 2022 and a $1,000 contribution to the West Plains R-7 Education Foundation to support specialized programs like Project Lead the Way. Their real estate firm also served as a primary sponsor for the West Plains Rotary Backpack program, which provides weekend meals to local students facing food scarcity.
Soon after his wife’s death, Pahlmann donated $1,000 to each of the 13 rural volunteer fire departments in Ozark County, as well as the Caulfield Volunteer Fire Department near the county line. The donations were uncovered during a local city council meeting and reported by the Ozark County Times, which noted at the time that Pahlmann had not sought any public recognition for the gifts.
"Beyond city hall, he was deeply committed to West Plains through his support of local civic organizations and his steadfast dedication to honoring and serving the area's veterans," the City of West Plains said in an official statement Monday. City officials also praised Pahlmann's "unwavering support, collaborative leadership and generous spirit" toward municipal employees. Pahlmann’s son-in-law, Ron Grennan, currently serves as a West Plains councilman.
Eighth District U.S. Rep. Jason Smith also released a statement honoring the former mayor.
“His love for the community, commitment to public service and support for local veterans left a lasting mark on the West Plains community,” Smith said.
Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 W. Main St. The funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at First Church of God, 1700 Wayhaven Drive, with burial to follow at Howell Memorial Park Cemetery at Pomona.
Pahlmann's full obituary can be found on page 5 of today’s Quill.
