Francis Marion ("Frank") Gibbons (April 10, 1921 – July 16, 2016) was the secretary to the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1970 to 1986 and a church general authority from 1986 until 1991.

Peggy Fletcher Stack Peggy Fletcher Stack is an American journalist, editor, and author. Stack has been the lead religion writer for ''The Salt Lake Tribune'' since 1991. She and five other journalists at the ''Salt Lake Tribune'' won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Local ...

"Francis Gibbons, aide to top Mormon leaders—and who wrote books about first 14 LDS presidents—dies at 95"
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The Salt Lake Tribune ''The Salt Lake Tribune'' is a newspaper published in the city of Salt Lake City, Utah. The ''Tribune'' is owned by The Salt Lake Tribune, Inc., a non-profit corporation. The newspaper's motto is "Utah's Independent Voice Since 1871." History ...

'', July 21, 2016. A native of

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, Gibbons received degrees from

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

and the University of Utah and practiced law in Utah for eighteen years."Elder Francis M. Gibbons of the First Quorum of the Seventy,"
'' Ensign'', May 1986, p. 103. In 1970, Gibbons was hired as the secretary to the First Presidency to replace Joseph Anderson, who had been the secretary since 1922 but who had become an

Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commonly shortened to Assistant to the Twelve or Assistant to the Twelve Apostles, was a priesthood calling in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1941 and 1976. As the title of t ...

. Gibbons served as secretary to the First Presidency until March 1986, when he retired and was succeeded by F. Michael Watson. One week later, at the church's April general conference, Gibbons was called as a general authority and member of the

First Quorum of the Seventy First or 1st is the ordinal form of the number one (#1). First or 1st may also refer to: *World record, specifically the first instance of a particular achievement Arts and media Music * 1$T, American rapper, singer-songwriter, DJ, and rec ...

. In April 1989, he was transferred to the newly created Second Quorum of the Seventy. In October 1991, Gibbons was honorably released from service in the Second Quorum of the Seventy and as a general authority of the church. Gibbons also served in the church as a bishop, stake president and patriarch.Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Francis M. Gibbons
He is the author of 20 books, including a biography of Jack Anderson and the hagiographical ''Prophets of God'' series about the presidents of the LDS Church. Gibbons was married to Helen Bay and they are the parents of four children.

Publications

* Gibbons, Francis M. (1977). ''Joseph Smith: Martyr–Prophet of God'' * —— (1979). ''Heber J. Grant: Man of Steel, Prophet of God'' * —— (1981). ''Brigham Young: Modern Moses, Prophet of God'' * —— (1982). ''Lorenzo Snow: Spiritual Giant, Prophet of God'' * —— (1984). ''Joseph F. Smith: Patriarch and Preacher, Prophet of God'' * —— (1985). ''John Taylor: Mormon Philosopher, Prophet of God'' * —— (1986). ''David O. McKay: Apostle to the World, Prophet of God'' * —— (1988). ''Wilford Woodruff: Wondrous Worker, Prophet of God'' * —— (1990). ''George Albert Smith: Kind and Caring Christian, Prophet of God'' * —— (1992). ''Joseph Fielding Smith: Gospel Scholar, Prophet of God'' * —— (1993). ''Harold B. Lee: Man of Vision, Prophet of God'' * —— (1995). ''Martha: A Historical Novel'' * —— (1995). ''Spencer W. Kimball: Resolute Disciple, Prophet of God'' * —— (1996). ''Ezra Taft Benson: Statesman, Patriot, Prophet of God'' * —— (1996). ''Dynamic Disciples, Prophets of God: Life Stories of the Presidents of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints'' * —— (1999). ''The Expanding Church: Three Decades of Remarkable Growth Among the Latter-Day Saints, 1970–1999'' * —— and Daniel Bay Gibbons (2002). ''A Gathering of Eagles: Conversions from the Four Quarters of the Earth'' * —— (2003). ''Jack Anderson: Mormon Crusader in Gomorrah'' * —— (2005). ''The Spiritual Dimensions of America'' * —— (2011). ''Howard W. Hunter: Man of Thought and Independence, Prophet of God'' * —— (2018). ''Mormon Muckraker: The Life of Jack Anderson'' Kindle Edition * —— (2018). ''Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer'' Kindle Edition

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gibbons, Francis M. 1921 births 2016 deaths American biographers American male biographers American Latter Day Saint writers Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy (LDS Church) Members of the Second Quorum of the Seventy (LDS Church) Patriarchs (LDS Church) People from St. Johns, Arizona Stanford University alumni University of Utah alumni Utah lawyers Secretaries to the First Presidency (LDS Church) American general authorities (LDS Church) Religious leaders from Arizona Writers from Arizona Writers from Utah Latter Day Saints from Arizona Latter Day Saints from Utah 20th-century American lawyers