Facts about President Howard W. Hunter
How blessed we are to be led by inspired prophets in these latter-days. We mourned the passing of one of our beloved leaders, our sorrow is tempered by the assurance that we will be guided by yet another of the Lord’s chosen leaders. It is reassuring to know that our leaders are men of sound judgment, great spiritual insight, and that they have presided in the leading councils of our church for many years. Such has definitely been the case with Presidents Hinckley, Monson, Nelson, and Oaks. We love and sustain these great leaders, having watched their remarkable service to the church, to its members, and to the Lord for many years.
Following are some interesting facts and insights into the leadership and experience of President Howard W. Hunter, as presented by Trent Toone.
Howard W. Hunter, the first Church President born in the 20th Century, was born on November 14, 1907 in Boise, Idaho. Unlike his predecessors, President Hunter was raised in a part-member home, was not baptized at age 8, did not serve a mission, and did not live in Utah before his full-time Church service later in his life. As a young man, Elder Hunter loved music. After high school, his band, named Hunter’s Croonaders, toured for five months on the SS President Jackson, an American cargo ship, giving him the opportunity to visit parts of Asia. He gave up his music career in 1931 to marry Clara May Jeffs and pursue a more stable family life. Becoming a successful lawyer in California, he served as a bishop and stake president, playing a key role in the building of the Los Angeles California Temple. Elder Hunter was called to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles on October 15, 1959. He was an adviser to the Church’s Genealogical Society and supervised missions in the South Pacific and western United States. He served for two years as Church historian and was instrumental in bringing about the Polynesian Cultural Center in Hawaii, the BYU Jerusalem enter, and the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden. After 35 years as an Apostle, he became Church President on June 5, 1994. Although he served as President for only 8 months and 26 days, President Hunter encouraged members to have an increased focus on Jesus Christ and invited them to give higher priority to temple attendance. He presided over the creation of the Church’s 2000th stake (in Mexico), dedicated temples in Orlando, Florida and Bountiful, Utah, and commemorated the 150th anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith. President Hunter died on March 3, 1995 in Salt Lake City, Utah, at the age of 87.
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