KANSAS CITY – Richard Berkley, who served three terms as mayor of Kansas City, Missouri, has died at the age of 92. Berkley served as mayor from 1979 to 1991, and was at the helm of the city during the 1981 Hyatt Regency skywalk disaster that killed 114 people.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO5), who served as Kansas City mayor following Berkley's terms, said in a statement today:
"Today, I've lost a dear friend and Kansas City has lost an iconic leader. For 12 years as Mayor, and 10 more on the City Council, Dick Berkley offered the calm, collected, and utterly effective leadership that helped transform Kansas City into the major metropolitan area it is today.
From the expansion of Bartle Hall to the revitalization and economic development of neighborhoods across Kansas City, the impact of Dick Berkley can be felt in every zip code of our great city. While I was proud to honor his legacy through the Berkley Riverfront, we all owe him a debt of gratitude for his lifelong devotion and public service to our community."
The Berkley Riverfront Park bears his name. Port KC oversees the park and said in a statement that among his civic accomplishments, Berkley brought 911 service to KC and created the KC Jazz Commission.
He was first elected to the city council in 1969. And served as Mayor Pro-em before serving three terms as mayor. Berkley also happened to be the first Jewish mayor of Kansas City.
