A biographical overview of the life of Howard W.
Hunter,
the fourteenth President and Prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ
Following is a brief
summary of some major events in the life of Howard W. Hunter, the fourteenth
President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- Howard William Hunter was
born in Boise, Ada
County, Idaho on November 14, 1907. His parents
were John William (Will) Hunter and Nellie Marie Rasmussen Hunter.
- He was baptized in the
Natatorium, an indoor swimming pool in Boise
on April 4, 1920 (age
12). He was ordained a deacon by his bishop on June 21, 1920.
- He achieved the rank of Eagle
Scout as a youth.
- Howard was accomplished on
several musical instruments as a teenager, and even formed his own
performing band.
- After spending his youth in Idaho,
he moved to California in
1928.
- He married Clara (Claire) May
Jeffs in the Salt Lake
Temple on June 10, 1931 (age 23). She died in 1983.
- After completing his
undergraduate requirements, he attended Southwestern
University Law
School in Los
Angeles, and graduated cum laude with his JD
degree in 1939.
- He served as a bishop for
several years in the Los Angeles
area, and was then called to serve as the President of the Pasadena Stake
at age 43.
- He was ordained an apostle by
President David O. McKay on October
15, 1959 at the age of 51.
- In 1989, at the age of 81,
Elder Hunter dedicated the BYU Jerusalem
Center, marking the completion
of a decade-long endeavor.
- He married Inis Bernice Egan
on April 10, 1990, at
the age of 82.
- Sustained as the 14th
President of the Church on October
1, 1994. He chose as his counselors Elder Gordon B. Hinckley
and Elder Thomas S. Monson.
- He dedicated the Orlando
Florida Temple
on October 9, 1994 and
the Bountiful Utah
Temple on January 8, 1995.
- He presided over the creation
of the Church's 2000th stake (the Mexico City Mexico Contreras Stake) on December 11, 1994.
- He passed away on March 3, 1995 at the age of 87,
having served as President of the Church for only 9 months.
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