Early life
Stapley was born in Mesa, Arizona, Mesa, Arizona Territory. He graduated from Mesa High_School (Mesa,_Arizona), Mesa Union High School in 1914. As a youth, he rejected a chance at playing Major League Baseball so he could serve an LDS Church Missionary (LDS Church), mission in the southern United StatesJanet BrighamLDS Church service
Stapley had been stake president for three years before receiving a call to the Apostle (Latter Day Saints), apostleship on October 5, 1950. Stapley was also sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on October 5, 1950, at the church's October General Conference (LDS Church), general conference, filling the vacancy caused by the death of George F. Richards. Stapley was notified of his new calling by President of the Church (LDS Church), church president George Albert Smith in the elevator bank of the Hotel Utah (Salt Lake City), Hotel Utah. Stapley organized the original Miami Stake in 1961. In 1969 he received the Silver Buffalo Award from the Boy Scouts of America.Views on civil rights
A letter sent by Stapley illustrates his views on black people before they were more widely assimilated into the LDS Church. Dated January 23, 1964 and specifically stating he was not speaking for the church or in his position as an apostle, the letter urged Governor of Michigan, Michigan Governor George W. Romney to back away from certain positions for Civil Rights Movement, civil rights, and he called the bill that became the Civil Rights Act of 1964 "vicious legislation." Romney is reported to have accelerated his engagement for civil rights shortly after he received the letter.Death
Stapley delivered his last conference address in October 1977. The following April conference he was too ill to attend. Stapley died on August 19, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He suffered cardiac arrest at about noon while walking near his home. He was buried in the Mesa, Arizona cemetery. At the time of his death, Stapley was the third apostle in line to the presidency of the church. His vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve was filled by James E. Faust.Swensen, JasonSee also
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in ArizonaReferences
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