Representative Jeffrey Paul Hillelson

Jeffrey Paul Hillelson (March 9, 1919 – May 28, 2003) was a Republican politician and public servant who represented Missouri in the United States House of Representatives from 1953 to 1955. Born in Springfield, Ohio, he attended the public schools there before moving into higher education and public life. During his youth and early adulthood he developed an interest in civic affairs that would later shape his career in politics and government.

Hillelson served in the United States Army from 1942 to 1946 during World War II, beginning a long association with military service. After his active-duty service concluded, he retained his commission in the Army Reserve, reflecting an ongoing commitment to national defense. Following the war, he pursued higher education and graduated from the University of Missouri–Kansas City in 1947. While in college he was a member of the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, an affiliation that connected him with a broad network of future business and civic leaders.

After completing his degree, Hillelson entered the private sector and worked as a business owner from 1947 to 1952. At the same time, he became increasingly active in Republican Party politics in Missouri. He served as chair of the Republican City Central Committee of Independence, Missouri, in 1949, a role that placed him at the center of local party organization and strategy. He also participated in broader party affairs as a delegate to Republican state conventions in 1948 and 1952, building a reputation within the party that would support his later bids for public office.

Hillelson was elected as a Republican to the Eighty-third Congress, serving as a U.S. Representative from Missouri from January 3, 1953, to January 3, 1955. His single term in the House of Representatives occurred during a significant period in American history, marked by the early Cold War and the administration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. As a member of the House, Hillelson contributed to the legislative process, participated in the democratic governance of the nation, and represented the interests of his Missouri constituents. A member of the Republican Party, he took part in debates and votes that reflected both national priorities and local concerns. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Eighty-fourth Congress in 1954.

Following his departure from Congress, Hillelson continued to serve in federal and party positions. He was appointed Executive Assistant to the Postmaster General in Washington, D.C., serving from January 3, 1955, until his resignation on September 22, 1955. He sought to return to the House as a Republican candidate for election to the Eighty-fifth Congress in 1956 but was unsuccessful. That same year he remained active in party politics as a delegate to the Republican State Convention and as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1956, underscoring his continued influence and engagement within the Republican Party.

Hillelson’s public service extended beyond Congress into important administrative and local government roles. He was appointed acting postmaster of Kansas City, Missouri, serving from 1957 to 1961, where he oversaw postal operations in a major metropolitan area. He later entered municipal government and was elected a member of the Kansas City, Missouri, city council, serving from April 1963 until June 1969. In this capacity he participated in the governance and development of the city during a period of significant urban change. He subsequently returned to federal service when he was appointed Regional Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) in Kansas City, a post he held from 1969 to 1974, managing federal properties and support services across the region.

In the later phase of his career, Hillelson continued his involvement in local and regional governance. He served on the Johnson County, Kansas, commission from 1981 to 1982, contributing to the administration and policy direction of one of the fastest-growing counties in the Kansas City metropolitan area. His service at the county level complemented his earlier experience in municipal, federal, and partisan roles, reflecting a broad and varied career in public life.

Jeffrey Paul Hillelson died on May 28, 2003, in Shawnee Mission, Kansas. In recognition of his military service and his long record of public service, he was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.