Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) was the twelfth president and prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, often known as the Mormon Church. President Kimball is remembered for his contributions in organizing the structure of the Church and for the revelation he received permitting all worthy men to be ordained to the Priesthood. Despite his advanced age when he became president (age 78), most of his tenure (1973–1985) was characterized by his dynamic energy, his openness, and his genuine love for all humanity.
Early Life
Born Spencer Woolley Kimball on March 28, 1895, in Salt Lake City, Utah, Spencer was the son of Andrew Kimball (whose father was Apostle Heber C. Kimball) and Olive Woolley. His father was a traveling salesman who worked throughout the American West. When Spencer was three years old, the family moved to Thatcher, Arizona, a small community in southeastern Arizona, so that his father could serve as a stake president in the area.
Young Spencer had a challenging life. He suffered from typhoid fever, smallpox, and temporary paralysis, but was miraculously cured. Once, he nearly drowned. He had four siblings die, and his mother died when he was only eleven years old. He also was required to work hard on the family farm, when he was physically able. Nevertheless, he persevered and graduated from high school. His father described him an “exceptional boy,” who “always tries to mind me, whatever I ask him to do” (Quoted in L. R. Flake, “Prophets and Apostles of the Last Dispensation,” p. 114).
In 1914, Spencer W. Kimball was called on a mission to the Central United States, where he was called to preside over 25 missionaries, most of whom were older, and some of whom were married. When he came home, he was nearly drafted to fight in World War I, but bureaucratic problems delayed this until eventually, he was not called up. In the meantime, he married Camilla Eyring, a local school teacher, on November 16, 1917. They had four children. Spencer worked in banking and insurance and was self-employed for most of his life, because he liked the flexibility it gave him to take care of Church responsibilities and spend time with his family. Throughout the 1920s he worked for a number of different banks. In 1927, he started an insurance and real estate agency in Arizona. He continued to be self-employed throughout the depression, despite the hardships of the time, and he remained very active in civic affairs.
To read more about him: MormonWiki
