John Richard Clarke (April 4, 1927 – June 29, 2022) was a general authority of

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 Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

(LDS Church) from 1976 until his death. He served both in the church's presiding bishopric and the Presidency of the Seventy. Clarke was born in

Rexburg, Idaho Rexburg is a city in Madison County, Idaho, United States. The population was 39,409 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city is the county seat of Madison County and its largest city. Rexburg is the principal city of the Rexburg ...

, to John R. and Nora Redford Clarke. Clarke graduated from

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU) is a Private education, private research university in Provo, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is the flagship university of the Church Educational System sponsore ...

(BYU) in 1952. He worked in the insurance industry in his professional career.

LDS Church service

As a young man he served as an LDS Church

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group who is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Thoma ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. Prior to his call as a general authority, he served as a

bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...

stake president A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in certain denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement. The name "stake" derives from the Book of Isaiah: "enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine ha ...

, and regional representative in Idaho. He also returned to South Africa as the

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: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

of the church's South Africa Cape Town

Mission Mission (from Latin 'the act of sending out'), Missions or The Mission may refer to: Geography Australia *Mission River (Queensland) Canada *Mission, British Columbia, a district municipality * Mission, Calgary, Alberta, a neighbourhood * ...

. In 1976, Clarke became the second counselor to presiding bishop Victor L. Brown. He served in this capacity until Brown was released in 1985. Clarke was retained as a general authority and became a member of the

First Quorum of the Seventy Seventy is a Priesthood (LDS Church), priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood (Latter Day Saints), Melchizedek priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Traditionally, a church member holding this priesth ...

. He became a member of the Presidency of the Seventy in 1988. He served in that capacity until 1997 when he was released and given general authority

emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

status. In 2012, Clarke addressed the BYU student body at the weekly devotional. From 1998 to 2001, Clarke was

of the LDS Church's

Laie Hawaii Temple Laie Hawaii Temple is a Temple (LDS Church), temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints located on the North Shore (Oahu), northeast shore of the Hawaiian island of Oahu, Oahu. The temple sits on a small hill, half a mile from th ...

. Satterfield, Rick
"Presidents of the Laie Hawaii Temple"
''Church of Jesus Christ Temples''. Retrieved on 22 February 2020.

Personal life

Clarke married Barbara Jean Reed and became the parents of eight children.

References

External links

Elder J. Richard Clarke of the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarke, J. Richard 1927 births 2022 deaths American Mormon missionaries in South Africa Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy (LDS Church) Mission presidents (LDS Church) Temple presidents and matrons (LDS Church) Regional representatives of the Twelve 20th-century Mormon missionaries People from Rexburg, Idaho Counselors in the Presiding Bishopric (LDS Church) Presidents of the Seventy (LDS Church) American general authorities (LDS Church) Religious leaders from Idaho Latter Day Saints from Idaho