Henry Thorpe Beal Isaacson (September 6, 1898 – November 9, 1970) was a 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), serving as a counselor in 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 ...

to church president David O. McKay from 1965 to 1970.

Early life and education

Isaacson was born in

Ephraim Ephraim (; , in pausa: ''ʾEp̄rāyīm'') was, according to the Book of Genesis, the second son of Joseph ben Jacob and Asenath, as well as the adopted son of his biological grandfather Jacob, making him the progenitor of the Tribe of Ephrai ...

Sanpete County, Utah Sanpete County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 28,437. Its county seat is Manti, and its largest city is Ephraim. The county was created in 1850. History The Sanpete Valley m ...

, to Martin Isaacson and Mary Jemima Beal. Isaacson received his education at Snow Academy (now

Snow College Snow College is a Public college, public community college in Ephraim, Utah. It offers certificates and associate degrees along with bachelor's degrees in music, software engineering, and nursing. Snow College is part of the Utah System of High ...

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 ...

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public university, public land grant colleges, land-grant research university with its main campus in Logan, Utah, United States. Founded in 1888 under the Morrill Land-Grant Acts as Utah's federal ...

and the

University of California–Berkeley A university () is an institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly means "community of teachers and scholars". Univ ...

Career

On June 20, 1920, Isaacson married Lula Maughan Jones 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 ...

. They eventually became the parents of two children. Isaacson worked as a school teacher and athletic coach in Idaho and later was a school district superintendent. He also was involved in insurance sales and real estate. Isaacson was a member of the Utah State University Board of Trustees. In the LDS Church, Isaacson was ordained a

high priest The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious organisation. Ancient Egypt In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many god ...

in 1941 by Charles A. Callis of the

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles A quorum is the minimum number of members of a group necessary to constitute the group at a meeting. In a deliberative assembly (a body that uses parliamentary procedure, such as a legislature), a quorum is necessary to conduct the business of ...

. In 1946, he became a second counselor to

LeGrand Richards LeGrand Richards (February 6, 1886 – January 11, 1983) was a prominent missionary and leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served as the seventh presiding bishop of the LDS Church from 1938 to 1952, an ...

in the presiding bishopric, and then as first counselor to Joseph L. Wirthlin in 1952. In 1961, he was sustained as 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 from 1941 to 1976. As the title suggest ...

. On October 28, 1965, Isaacson was sustained as a counselor to church president David O. McKay in the First Presidency. Isaacson being called to be a counselor in the First Presidency was unusual since he was not an apostle. However, President McKay had a great deal of confidence in Isaacson's judgement and past service. There is evidence that Isaacson was already unofficially functioning as a counselor to McKay at the time of his call to the First Presidency.

Later life and death

Isaacson suffered a stroke on February 7, 1966, which severely limited his activities as a counselor. Alvin R. Dyer was added as a counselor to the First Presidency to fill the role Isaacson was to perform. Isaacson was released from the First Presidency upon McKay's death on January 18, 1970, and resumed his former position as an assistant to the Twelve.He and Alvin R. Dyer are only two people to return to serving as assistants to the Twelve after serving in the First Presidency. Isaacson died in

Salt Lake City, Utah Salt Lake City, often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC, is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. It is the county seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Salt ...

, and was buried at 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 north of 4th Avenue and east of N Street ...

Early life and education

Career

Later life and death

See also

References

Further reading