Apostles who have lived the longest (over 90 years of age)
Authority Birthdate Deathdate Age at death Russell M Nelson 09 Sep 1924 Serving currently (98 years old on 09/09/22) David B Haight 02 Sep 1906 31 Jul 2004 97 years 10 months 30 days Gordon B Hinckley 23 Jun 1910 27 Jan 2008 97 years 07 months 05 days LeGrand Richards 06 Feb 1886 11 Jan 1983 96 years 11 months 06 days David O McKay 08 Sep 1873 18 Jan 1970 96 years 04 months 11 days Joseph Fielding Smith 19 Jul 1876 02 Jul 1972 95 years 11 months 14 days Ezra Taft Benson 04 Aug 1899 30 May 1994 94 years 09 months 27 days M Russell Ballard 08 Oct 1928 Serving currently (94 years old on 10/08/22) Charles W Penrose 04 Feb 1832 15 May 1925 93 years 03 months 13 days Richard R Lyman 23 Nov 1870 31 Dec 1963 93 years 01 months 08 days L Tom Perry 05 Aug 1922 30 May 2015 92 years 09 months 26 days Hugh Brown Brown 24 Oct 1883 02 Dec 1975 92 years 01 months 08 days Wilford Woodruff 01 Mar 1807 02 Sep 1898 91 years 06 months 01 day Joseph B Wirthlin 11 Jun 1917 01 Dec 2008 91 years 05 months 20 days Boyd K Packer 10 Sep 1924 03 Jul 2015 90 years 09 months 23 days Marion G Romney 19 Sep 1897 20 May 1988 90 years 08 months 01 days Spencer W Kimball 28 Mar 1895 05 Nov 1985 90 years 07 months 07 days Thomas S Monson 21 Aug 1927 02 Jan 2018 90 years 04 months 12 days J Reuben Clark, Jr 01 Sep 1871 06 Oct 1961 90 years 01 months 05 days Dallin Harris Oaks 12 Aug 1932 Serving currently (90 years old on 08/12/22)
Here are some interesting facts about “nonagenarian” apostles (apostles who lived to be 90 years of age and older):
A) Thus far in this dispensation, we have had 20 nonagenarian apostles. They are (listed in the order in which they were called to the apostleship): Wilford Woodruff, Charles W. Penrose, David O. McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, J. Reuben Clark, Spencer W. Kimball, Ezra Taft Benson, Marion G. Romney, LeGrand Richards, Hugh Brown Brown, Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, Boyd K. Packer, L. Tom Perry, David B. Haight, Russell M. Nelson, Dallin Harris Oaks, Joseph B. Wirthlin, and M. Russell Ballard. Richard R. Lyman also lived into his 90’s, but he was not an apostle at the time of his death, having been released from the apostleship in 1943.
B) On TEN occasions we have had we had TWO nonagenarian apostles serving concurrently. Those ten occasions were: 1) David O. McKay and Joseph Fielding Smith (from July of 1966 to January of 1970); 2) Gordon B. Hinckley and David B. Haight (from Jun 2000 to July 2004); 3) Gordon B. Hinckley and Joseph B. Wirthlin (from June 2007 to January 2008); 4) L. Tom Perry and Russell M. Nelson (2014 & 2015); 5) L. Tom Perry and Boyd K. Packer (2014 and 2015); 6) Russell M. Nelson and Boyd K. Packer (2014 and 2015); 7) Russell M. Nelson and Thomas S. Monson (2017); 8) Russell M. Nelson and M. Russell Ballard (2018 to 2022). (9) Russell M. Nelson and Dallin H. Oaks (2022) 10) M. Russell Ballard and Dallin H. Oaks (2022). On TWO occasions have we had THREE nonagenarians serving as apostles concurrently. That occurred with Elders L. Tom Perry, Russell M. Nelson, and Boyd K. Packer, and then again with President Russell M. Nelson, Elder M. Russell Ballard, and President Dallin H. Oaks.
C) J. Reuben Clark was ‘barely’ a nonagenarian, as he died just one month after turning 90. Also, Marion G. Romney, Spencer W. Kimball, and Thomas S. Monson died before reaching the age of 91.
D) Should President Henry B. Eyring live to his 90th birthday on May 31, 2023, and our other First Presidency members carry on as well, it will be the first time that we have had FOUR nonagenarians serving as apostles concurrently, and the first time we have had three nonagenarians in the First Presidency.
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