Howard William Hunter (November 14, 1907 – March 3, 1995) was an American lawyer and the 14th

president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a nontrinitarian Christian church that considers itself to be the restoration of the original church founded by Jesus Christ. The ch ...

(LDS Church) from 1994 to 1995. His nine-month presidential tenure is the shortest in the church's history. Hunter was the first president of the LDS Church born in the 20th century and the last to die in it. He was sustained as an LDS

apostle An apostle (), in its literal sense, is an emissary, from Ancient Greek ἀπόστολος (''apóstolos''), literally "one who is sent off", from the verb ἀποστέλλειν (''apostéllein''), "to send off". The purpose of such sending ...

at the age of 51, and served as a general authority for over 35 years.

Early life

Hunter was born to John William and Nellie Marie Hunter in

Boise, Idaho Boise (, , ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Idaho and is the county seat of Ada County. On the Boise River in southwestern Idaho, it is east of the Oregon border and north of the Nevada border. The downtown ar ...

. His father, who was not a Latter-day Saint but joined the church in 1927, would not allow Hunter to be baptized until he was 12; Hunter was ordained to the Aaronic priesthood several months after he turned 12. He was the second person to become an

Eagle Scout Eagle Scout is the highest achievement or rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle S ...

in the state of Idaho.Knowles. ''Hunter''. p. 41. In March 1923, the Boise

Ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

, where Hunter had been a member since his baptism, was split, and he ended up in the new Boise 2nd Ward. It initially met in a Jewish synagogue that was provided free of charge. When calls were issued to build the Boise LDS Tabernacle, Hunter was the first to pledge money for the building, offering $25. Hunter had a love for music and played the

piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...

violin The violin, sometimes known as a '' fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone ( string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument ( soprano) in the family in regu ...

, drums,

saxophone The saxophone (often referred to colloquially as the sax) is a type of Single-reed instrument, single-reed woodwind instrument with a conical body, usually made of brass. As with all single-reed instruments, sound is produced when a reed (mouthpi ...

, clarinet, and

trumpet The trumpet is a brass instrument commonly used in classical and jazz ensembles. The trumpet group ranges from the piccolo trumpet—with the highest register in the brass family—to the bass trumpet, pitched one octave below the standard ...

. He formed a band called Hunter's Croonaders, which played at many regional events and on a cruise ship to Asia.

Professional career

In 1928, Hunter tried a system where he would publish train and bus schedules and charge for advertising, placing them in hotels. The project worked moderately well in such cities as Nampa and Twin Falls, but it failed in Pocatello, Idaho. After this failure, Hunter moved to southern California. In California, Hunter initially worked in a citrus factory and in shoe sales. After a few weeks he secured a job at a

Bank of Italy The Bank of Italy ( Italian: ''Banca d'Italia'', informally referred to as ''Bankitalia''), (), is the central bank of Italy and part of the European System of Central Banks. It is located in Palazzo Koch, via Nazionale, Rome. The bank's cur ...

branch on April 23, 1928. Hunter studied at the American Institute of Banking while working for the Bank of Italy. Besides working in banking, Hunter was still playing the saxophone for dances on a regular basis. In November 1930, Hunter was involved in booking for the merger of the Bank of Italy with the Bank of America of California to form the Bank of America National Trust and Savings Association. Shortly after, Hunter took a position as a junior officer with the First Exchange Bank of Inglewood. This bank was taken over by the state of California and placed in receivership in January 1932. For the next two years, Hunter filled several odd jobs, including working as a bridge painter and a laundry detergent peddler. In 1934, he managed to get a position as a title examiner with the Los Angeles County Flood Control District. In 1935, Hunter began his studies at

Southwestern Law School Southwestern Law School is a Private university, private Law school in the United States, law school in Mid-Wilshire, Los Angeles. It is accredited by the American Bar Association and enrolls nearly 1,000 students. Its campus includes the Bulloc ...

and eventually had a successful career as a lawyer.

Leadership in the LDS Church

Prior to his call as an apostle, Hunter held several leadership positions in the LDS Church. He was the first

of the church's Pasadena California Stake, where he had also served as a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

. Hunter became a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1959. He filled a vacancy in the Quorum created when apostle Henry D. Moyle was added to the

First Presidency Among many churches in the Latter Day Saint movement, the First Presidency (also known as the Quorum of the Presidency of the Church) is the highest presiding or governing body. Present-day denominations of the movement led by a First Presidency ...

following the death of

Stephen L Richards Stephen L RichardsRichards's full middle name was "L". Hence, his name is usually written without a period after the "L". See Gregory Prince and Wm. Robert Wright, ''David O. McKay and the Rise of Modern Mormonism'' (Salt Lake City, Utah: Universi ...

, a counselor in the First Presidency. In January 1965, Hunter was appointed the president of the board of directors of the

Polynesian Cultural Center The Polynesian Cultural Center (PCC) is a family-centered cultural tourist attraction and living museum located in Laie, on the northern shore of Oahu, Hawaii. The PCC is owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), wa ...

(PCC). At the time, the PCC was two years old, had just closed its second year with a loss of nearly $500,000 dollars, and had barely made payroll the month before. Hunter reduced board membership from 21 to 10, drew members with more broad business backgrounds, and emphasized "good hard headed business practice." In three years, the PCC was turning a profit. He remained the president of PCC's board of directors until 1976. As an apostle, Hunter led church negotiations to acquire land in

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

to build the

BYU Jerusalem Center The Brigham Young University Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies (often simply referred to as the BYU Jerusalem Center or BYU–Jerusalem), situated on Mount of Olives in East Jerusalem, is a satellite campus of Brigham Young University ( ...

, which he dedicated in 1989. In 1970, when

Joseph Fielding Smith Joseph Fielding Smith Jr. (July 19, 1876 – July 2, 1972) was an American religious leader and writer who served as the tenth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1970 until his death in 1972. He was t ...

became president of the church, Hunter succeeded him as Church Historian and Recorder. Hunter held this position until 1972, and was succeeded by Leonard J. Arrington. In November 1985, when

Ezra Taft Benson Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as the 15th United States Secretary of Agriculture during both presidential terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower and ...

became church president, Hunter was named Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve due to the infirmity of Marion G. Romney, who became quorum president by seniority. Hunter became the quorum president upon Romney's death in 1988."Elder Howard W. Hunter: Now President of the Quorum of the Twelve"
''

Ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diffe ...

'', July 1988. Hunter became church president in June 1994, following Benson's death. Hunter retained Gordon B. Hinckley and

Thomas S. Monson Thomas Spencer Monson (August 21, 1927 – January 2, 2018) was an American religious leader, author, and the 16th President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). As president, he was considered by adherents of the re ...

as counselors in the

. He offered a conciliatory message at his initial news conference, saying, "To those who have transgressed or been offended, we say, 'Come back.'" Some of Hunter's contributions as church president include the creation of the church's 2000th stake and drafting of the " Proclamation on the Family", which was released six months after his death. As church president, Hunter encouraged and emphasized Christ-like living and

temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...

attendance. He dedicated the Orlando Florida and Bountiful Utah temples shortly before his death. Hunter's teachings as an apostle were the 2016 course of study in the LDS Church's Sunday

Relief Society The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, United States, and has more than 7 million members in over 18 ...

and

Melchizedek priesthood The priesthood of Melchizedek is a role in Abrahamic religions, modelled on Melchizedek, combining the dual position of king and priest. Hebrew Bible Melchizedek is a king and priest appearing in the Book of Genesis. The name means "King of Rig ...

classes.

Leadership in other LDS Church-owned endeavors

Hunter served in several LDS Church assignments not directly related to ecclesiastical matters while a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-d ...

and closely involved with the founding of the J. Reuben Clark Law School. He also was a member of the Board of Trustees of the New World Archaeology Foundation, chairman of the board of the PCC, and president of the

Genealogical Society of Utah FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization and website offering genealogical records, education, and software. It is operated by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and is closely connected with the church's Family Histo ...

Attempted hostage incident

While preparing to speak at a CES fireside being held at

Marriott Center The Marriott Center is a multi-purpose arena in the western United States, located on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. It is home to the BYU Cougars men's and women's basketball teams. The seating capacity for basketball ga ...

on February 7, 1993, Hunter was confronted by Cody Judy, who rushed onto the rostrum and threatened Hunter and the audience of 15,000 to 17,000. Judy carried a briefcase that he claimed contained a bomb and held what appeared to be a detonator-like device. Judy demanded that Hunter read a three-page document that supposedly detailed God's plan for Judy to lead the church, which Hunter refused to do. The audience spontaneously sang "

We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet "We Thank Thee, O God, for a Prophet" is a The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints hymns, hymn of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). It has been sung at many General Conference (LDS Church), general conferences o ...

", during which students from the audience, and then security personnel, overtook Judy. After Judy was taken away, Hunter delivered his prepared remarks, a talk entitled
"An Anchor to the Souls of Men."

Health problems and death

When Hunter was four years old, he was stricken with

polio Poliomyelitis, commonly shortened to polio, is an infectious disease caused by the poliovirus. Approximately 70% of cases are asymptomatic; mild symptoms which can occur include sore throat and fever; in a proportion of cases more severe s ...

, which afflicted his back so that he was never able to bend forward and touch the ground again. While serving as president of the Quorum of the Twelve, Hunter developed major health problems that continued for the remainder of his life, including a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

, broken ribs from a fall at general conference, heart bypass surgery, bleeding ulcers, and

kidney failure Kidney failure, also known as end-stage kidney disease, is a medical condition in which the kidneys can no longer adequately filter waste products from the blood, functioning at less than 15% of normal levels. Kidney failure is classified as eit ...

. Hunter was admitted to

LDS Hospital LDS Hospital (formerly Deseret Hospital) is a general urban hospital and surgical center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The hospital was originally owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), but is now owned and operated by I ...

on January 12, 1995, for exhaustion and was released on January 16. While hospitalized, it was discovered that Hunter was suffering from prostate cancer that had spread to the bones. Hunter died at age 87 in his downtown Salt Lake City residence as a result of the cancer. With him at the time of his death were his wife, Inis; his nurse, who had been attending him; and his personal secretary, Lowell Hardy. Funeral services were held on March 8, 1995, at the

Salt Lake Tabernacle The Salt Lake Tabernacle, also known as the Mormon Tabernacle, is located on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, in the U.S. state of Utah. The Tabernacle was built from 1863 to 1875 to house meetings for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa ...

, under the direction of Hinckley, Hunter's counselor in the First Presidency and president of the Quorum of the Twelve. Hinckley replaced Hunter as president of the LDS Church. Hunter was buried in the

Salt Lake City Cemetery The Salt Lake City Cemetery is a cemetery in northeastern Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, that is one of the largest city-operated cemeteries in the United States. Description The cemetery is located above 4th Avenue and east of N Street in ...

. On October 14, 2007, at her home in

Laguna Hills, California Laguna Hills (; ''Laguna'', Spanish for "Lagoon") is a city in south Orange County, California, United States. Its name refers to its proximity to Laguna Canyon and the much older Laguna Beach. Other newer cities nearby— Laguna Niguel and L ...

, Inis Hunter died of causes incident to age. Image:HowardWHunterGrave.jpg, Grave marker of Howard W. Hunter. Image:HowardWHunterGrave2.jpg, Grave marker of Howard W. Hunter and his wife Clara Jeffs Hunter.

Personal life

In June 1928, Hunter met Clara May "Claire" Jeffs, a young woman from

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the capital and most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in Utah. With a population of 200,133 in 2020, th ...

and they were married in the

Salt Lake Temple The Salt Lake Temple is a temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. At , it is the largest Latter-day Saint temple by floor area. Dedicated in 1893, it is the sixth templ ...

on June 10, 1931. The Hunters' first son, William, died a year before Hunter started law school. While he was in law school, they had other two sons, Richard and John, who lived until adulthood and both became attorneys. After the death of Hunter's first wife in 1983, he married Inis Stanton in 1990 while he was president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.

Legacy

* Howard W. Hunter Law Library, at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at

, named in 1995Tripp, Stephanie
"Hunter Law Library Dedicated"
''

BYU Magazine ''BYU Magazine'' is the alumni magazine of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Provo, Utah, United States. It is published quarterly and is edited by Peter B. Gardner. History The first alumni publication for BYU was the ''Alumni Announcer'', ...

'', 1997. Retrieved on 20 March 2020. * Howard W. Hunter Professorship at the J. Reuben Clark Law School, established in 1989, to support faculty research, writing, and scholarship.Woods, LeAnne W
"Ground Broken for New Howard W. Hunter Law Library"
''

'', 1995. Retrieved on 20 March 2020. * Howard W. Hunter Foundation * Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies at Claremont Graduate University

Works

* * *

Notes

References

*Knowles, Eleanor. ''Howard W. Hunter''. Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1994. * *Jay M. Todd
"President Howard W. Hunter: Fourteenth President of the Church"
''

'', July 1994.
"President Howard W. Hunter: The Lord’s 'Good and Faithful Servant'"
''

'', April 1995
"Following the Master: Teachings of President Howard W. Hunter"
''

'', April 1995
"Funeral of President Howard W. Hunter, 8 March 1995"
''

'', April 1995 ** Jon M. Huntsman
"A Remarkable and Selfless Life"
''

'', April 1995 ** James E. Faust
"Howard W. Hunter: Man of God"
''

'', April 1995 ** Boyd K. Packer
"President Howard W. Hunter—He Endured to the End"
''

'', April 1995 **

"President Howard W. Hunter: A Man for All Seasons"
''

'', April 1995 ** Gordon B. Hinckley
"A Prophet Polished and Refined"
''

'', April 1995

External links

Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Howard W. HunterThe Life and Ministry of Howard W. Hunter
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Howard W. 1907 births 1995 deaths American general authorities (LDS Church) Apostles (LDS Church) Burials at Salt Lake City Cemetery California lawyers Deaths from cancer in Utah Deaths from prostate cancer Official historians of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints People from Boise, Idaho Presidential Citizens Medal recipients Presidents of the Church (LDS Church) Presidents of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (LDS Church) Southwestern Law School alumni 20th-century American lawyers Religious leaders from California Latter Day Saints from Idaho Latter Day Saints from California