Oscar Walter McConkie Jr. (May 26, 1926 – November 2, 2020) was an American politician and attorney in

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

and leader in

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). He was the president of the

Utah State Senate The Utah State Senate is the upper house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature (US), state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The Utah Senate is composed of 29 elected members, each representing one senate district. Each senate ...

from 1965 to 1966, subsequently becoming the chairman of the law firm of Kirton McConkie. McConkie authored several popular books on Latter-day Saint subjects.

Early life and education

McConkie was born in

Monticello, Utah Monticello ( ) is a city located in San Juan County, Utah, United States and is the county seat. It is the second most populous city in San Juan County, with a population of 1,972 at the 2010 census. The Monticello area was settled in July 18 ...

, to Oscar W. McConkie and Margaret Vivian Redd. He grew up primarily in

Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, the most populous county in the state. The city is the core of the Salt Lake Ci ...

, but, as a toddler he lived in

Ann Arbor Ann Arbor is a city in Washtenaw County, Michigan, United States, and its county seat. The 2020 United States census, 2020 census recorded its population to be 123,851, making it the List of municipalities in Michigan, fifth-most populous cit ...

, where his father was pursuing a law degree at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. Oscar, Sr., was a State District Court judge for many years and was the Democratic candidate for

governor of Utah A governor is an politician, administrative leader and head of a polity or Region#Political regions, political region, in some cases, such as governor-general, governors-general, as the head of a state's official representative. Depending on the ...

in 1960. Oscar, Jr.'s older brother, Bruce R. McConkie, became a prominent general authority and author in the LDS Church. McConkie served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. Oscar Jr. studied at the

University of New Mexico The University of New Mexico (UNM; ) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. Founded in 1889 by the New Mexico Territorial Legislature, it is the state's second oldest university, a flagship university in th ...

from 1944 to 1946, where he also played football. He then went to the

University of Utah The University of Utah (the U, U of U, or simply Utah) is a public university, public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. It was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret (Book of Mormon), Deseret by the General A ...

, where he received a bachelor's degree in 1949 in political science and a

Juris Doctor A Juris Doctor, Doctor of Jurisprudence, or Doctor of Law (JD) is a graduate-entry professional degree that primarily prepares individuals to practice law. In the United States and the Philippines, it is the only qualifying law degree. Other j ...

in 1952. McConkie served in various LDS Church callings, including as

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 ...

mission president Mission president is a Priesthood (LDS Church), priesthood leadership position in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). A mission president presides over a geographic area known as a Mission (LDS Church), mission and the M ...

Arizona Arizona is a U.S. state, state in the Southwestern United States, Southwestern region of the United States, sharing the Four Corners region of the western United States with Colorado, New Mexico, and Utah. It also borders Nevada to the nort ...

, regional representative, and

patriarch The highest-ranking bishops in Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, the Roman Catholic Church (above major archbishop and primate), the Hussite Church, Church of the East, and some Independent Catholic Churches are termed patriarchs (and ...

Career

From 1952 to 1967, McConkie was an instructor in business law at

Stevens–Henager College Stevens–Henager College was a private college in Ogden, Utah, United States. It was founded in 1891 and closed abruptly in August 2021. History Stevens–Henager was opened in September 1891 by Professor James Ayers Smith, an educator from ...

. He was the county attorney for

Summit County, Utah Summit County is a county in the U.S. state of Utah, occupying a rugged and mountainous area. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 42,357. Its county seat is Coalville, and the largest city is Park City. History The cou ...

from 1959 to 1963. Like his father, McConkie became a prominent Utah

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

, and in 1960, he was the Utah

point man To take point, walk point, be on point, or be a point man is to assume the first and most exposed position in a combat military formation, that is, the leading soldier or unit advancing through hostile or unsecured territory. The term can be a ...

for the

John F. Kennedy 1960 presidential campaign The 1960 presidential campaign of John F. Kennedy, then junior United States senator from Massachusetts, was formally launched on January 2, 1960, as Senator Kennedy announced his intention to seek the Democratic Party nomination for the pres ...

. From 1955 to 1957, McConkie was a member of the

Utah House of Representatives The Utah House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The House is composed of 75 representatives elected from single member constituent districts. Each district cont ...

. McConkie was elected president of the Utah State Senate during his first term in office. It was the first time a state senator in his initial term was elected president of the senate since the beginning term of the Utah State Senate. In 1956, he ran against William A. Dawson for

Utah's 2nd congressional district Utah's 2nd congressional district currently serves western Salt Lake City and the largely rural western and southern portions of Utah, including Saint George, Utah, Saint George and Tooele, UT, Tooele. The district is currently represented by R ...

. He also served very briefly in 1965 and in 1966 as acting governor when both the governor and secretary of state of Utah were not in the state. McConkie was president of the Salt Lake City School Board and from 1982 to 1984 he was chair of the Utah State Board of Education. He was chair of the Governor's Committee on Education from 1983 to 1985. McConkie was a senior law partner representing the LDS Church. McConkie argued the case that led to a broadening of the clergy-penitent privilege in Utah to include any information that was given by a parishioner to a cleric with the intent of getting spiritual advice. McConkie has been involved in international law, having drafted laws that were enacted in both

Jamaica Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...

and

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

. McConkie was a key figure in the process of getting official recognition of the LDS Church in

Zaire Zaire, officially the Republic of Zaire, was the name of the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1971 to 18 May 1997. Located in Central Africa, it was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-la ...

in 1986. McConkie was named lawyer of the year by the

Utah State Bar Utah State Bar is the regulatory agency established by the Utah Supreme Court to regulate the practice of law in Utah. The Utah State Bar is funded by dues from members, Bar exam dues, continuing education fees, Pro Hac Vice fees, and revenue gene ...

in 2007.

Personal life

McConkie married Judith Stoddard in the

Salt Lake Temple The Salt Lake Temple is a Temple (LDS Church), 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 Comparison of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Sa ...

in 1951. They had eight children.Peggy Fletcher Stac
Legal giant Oscar McConkie Jr., an LDS Democrat who formed one of Utah’s largest law firms, dies at 94 of COVID complications
Salt Lake Tribune, 4 November 2020. He died from complications of

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

, on November 2, 2020, at the age of 94, during the

COVID-19 pandemic in Utah Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...

Publications

* * * * * * * * *

Notes

References

Kirton and McConkie info on McConkieAbrams, Douglas M., ''Conflict, Competition or cooperation: Dilemas of state education policy making''. p. 75
*McConkie, Joseph Fielding. ''The Bruce R. McConkie Story''. (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003) p. 61
essay by McConkie in a collection of essays in honor of
Robert J. Matthews. {{DEFAULTSORT:McConkie, Oscar W., Jr. 1926 births 2020 deaths 20th-century Mormon missionaries American Mormon missionaries in the United States McConkie family Democratic Party members of the Utah House of Representatives Mission presidents (LDS Church) Politicians from Salt Lake City People from Monticello, Utah People from Summit County, Utah Regional representatives of the Twelve University of New Mexico alumni University of Utah alumni Utah lawyers Democratic Party Utah state senators School board members in Utah American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints S.J. Quinney College of Law alumni Latter Day Saints from Utah Latter Day Saints from Michigan Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Utah 20th-century members of the Utah Legislature