Howard W. Hunter
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Howard William Hunter (November 14, 1907 - March 3, 1995) was the fourteenth President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1994-1995), and served the shortest amount of time of any Church president to date (nine months). He was the first president of the church born in the 20th Century
Hunter was born in Boise, Idaho. He sustained as an Apostle at the age of 51, and served a little over 35 years as a General Authority for the Church.
After Hunter's first wife Clara May Jeffs died, he remarried Inis Stanton, while President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
Hunter's father was not a Latter-day Saint and would not let him get baptized until he was twelve years old. He was the second person to become an Eagle Scout in the state of Idaho. Hunter had a love for music and played the piano, violin, drums, saxophone, clarinet and trumpet. He formed a band called Hunters Croonaders, which played on cruise ships.
Some of his major contributions include the creation of the Church's 2000th stake and his negotiations to build land in Jerusalem for the BYU Jerusalem Center (which he later dedicated). Other significant activities he was allegedly involved with include the creation of the Proclamation on the Family. In 1985, Hunter was named Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve, in recognition of the infirmity of Marion G. Romney, who had succeeded as President of the Twelve by seniority; Hunter became full President on Romney's death in 1988.
Hunter became sick while president of the Quorum of the Twelve, and had major health problems for the remainder of his life, including a heart attack, broken ribs (from a fall at General Conference), heart bypass surgery, bleeding ulcers and a kidney failure that revived.
Although he encouraged and emphasized temple attendance, he only dedicated one temple during his administration, the Orlando, Florida Temple, and assisted at the dedication of the Bountiful, Utah Temple shortly before he died.
| Preceded by: Ezra Taft Benson | President of the LDS Church 1994–1995 | Succeeded by: Gordon B. Hinckley |
| Preceded by: Marion G. Romney | President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles 1988–1994 | Succeeded by: Gordon B. Hinckley |