Church Leaders

I’ve sorted my “other associates” into
Church leaders

Friends, Neighbors and Colleagues

Friends and acquaintances

This first category includes folks with whom I’ve been associated or have encountered primarily by virtue of their rôles in Church organizations. The sorting process has had its lurches: I could equally well have listed many of these among my “Teachers” or “Neighbors.” If you don’t find an associate here, please check in the other categories. I’ve tried to alphabetize them by family name.

Howard Anderson
Lloyd Baird
Jae Romney Ballif
H Kent and Kathy Bowen
Hugh B Brown
Webb K Brown
Richard and Claudia Bushman
Gérald and Valérie Caussé
Robert Chollet
J Reuben Clark, Jr.
Kim and Sue Clark
Bill and Nora Cox
Ernest and Janine Defaye
Pierre and Conchita Desquines
Paul H and Jeanne Dunn
Don William (Bill) Ence, Jr
Hal Eyring
Richard L Evans

Bertin and Suzanne Farel
Marion Duff Hanks
Don Hansen
Levern M and Elsie Hansen
Joseph Hasoppe
E Earl Hawkes
Melvin and Eugenia Herlin
Gordon Bitner and Marjorie Pay Hinckley
Rulon T and Lucilla Hinckley
Howard W and Clara Hunter
Dave and Margaret Ingerson
Spencer W Kimball
Harold B Lee
Neal A Maxwell
David O and Emma R McKay
Thomas S Monson
Henry D Moyle

Henry D Moyle, Jr
Fielding and Carolyn Nelson
Dallin H Oaks
Boyd K and Donna Packer
L Tom Perry
Mark E and Emma Marr Petersen
Rex C Reeve
Wayne A Reeves
Marcel and Bernadette Renaud
Legrand Richards
Allen Claire Rozsa
Mitt and Ann Romney
N Eldon Tanner
Rich and Ruth Tempest
Gordon and DeeDee Williams
Bert and LuAnne van Uitert
Gael and Laurel Ulrich
Ned and Gwen Winder
Thys Winkel
Joseph Bitner Wirthlin

Howard Anderson

Bishop in 1958
Seven bishops
Spoke at my missionary farewell

Lloyd Baird

Chairman of Melchizedek Priesthood Committee of Boston Stake High Council
Member of Gordon Williams’ Sunday-afternoon Stake Presidency meeting group
First President of Cambridge Stake
Phoned to say President Hinckley wanted to speak with me
Called me to serve on the Cambridge Stake High Council, concurrently with my work in the Temple
Called me a “Cambridge character.”

Jae Romney Ballif

President of New England Mission
Called me as his counselor out of the High Council.
Had been dean of physical sciences and mathematics at BYU
Always identified himself as “just a physics teacher,”
Accepted administrative duties reluctantly but faithfully.
A stranger at first, but we were very compatible.
No ecclesiastical responsibilities, since the Mission had no districts.
An academic, contrasted strongly, with his successor.
Sweet communication mediated by shared language of physics

H Kent and Kathy Bowen

Requested my valedictory testimony

Hugh B. Brown

At Seminary Graduates’ Day, 1958
Signed our retroactive call to accompany Pappy, 1968
Notified folks of Paris Mission call, as Mammy reported in her Journal.

Webb K and Iris Brown

Sustained as Bishop of San Bernardino Ward March 1942.
Benediction at First Ward chapel dedication, 9 October 1943
Third Ward groundbreaking, April 1955
Pappy’s successor as Patriarch

Richard and Claudia Bushman

Followed L Tom Perry as President of the Boston Stake
I had been the Bushmans’ Home Teacher.
Assigned me, as a President of Seventy, to respond to President Kimball’s outreach assignment toward the Jewish people.
Reorganized and redefined the High Council
Called me as its junior member.
Assigned me to specialize in missionary work.
Used me as a liaison and buffer with the mission president.
Got along well with both the Bushmans and the Rozsas.
Amazon screwed up hilariously a recommendation for one of his books.

Gérald and Valérie Caussé

Currently (2020) serving as Presiding Bishop of the Church. Helped son-in-law Ron Ralston with employment contacts in the Church organization. Ron now rejoices in his rôle as Producer for video coverage of BYU events. Bishop Caussé and I have joked in e-mails that I sometime affect an e-acute in spelling my Valérie’s name, whereas he tends to omit it in rendering that of his lovely Valerie. She, of course, is of French nativity and heritage. I respond that my distinguished partner is an official Returned French Missionary!
First French General Authority
Addressed a reunion of French Mission alumni 1 April 2011.

Robert Chollet

Counselor in Pappy’s Mission Presidency
With Pappy, Defaye, Valerie, and me in Paris (photo)
Spoke at a memorial service in Bordeaux after The Accident.
With Mitt Romney, Eva Jorge, Ernest Defaye, Michael Gardner, and others on that occasion (photo).
Bordeaux District Conference, before our arrival: Mammy speaking (photo).

J Reuben Clark, Jr.

First General Authority to get my attention
Attended his funeral in Salt Lake in 1961
Famous last words, related by Harold B. Lee: “Just to endure to the end, thank you, Harold.”
Described Church callings as duties which faithful members “neither seek nor decline.”

Kim and Sue Clark

Aaronic Priesthood Committee Chairman in Gordon Williams’ Presidency group
Kim and Sue Clark, at the feet of ET, at Ward Christmas party
Astonished Harvard by leaving the Business School to preside over Ricks College.
Was also the only Dean to execute correctly his role in the 2005 Commencement ritual.

Bill and Nora Cox

Served a long time as President of the Atlantic District of the New England Mission
Became the founding President of the new Boston Stake.
Brought with him his old District Council as the founding Stake High Council.
Handed us the keys to the van Uiterts’ home when we returned home in 1964.
Didn’t mention that I’d had something of a crush on their Martha.
Nor that Bill’s some sort of distant Sanpete County relative.
Replaced in 1969, by William A Fresh

Ernest and Janine Defaye

Adorable people. Janine always blushed when I’d rave about her canard à l’orange.
2 Apr 62: sustained as 2nd counselor in Le Mans District Presidency
Joined visitation group in Angers
Gave me a very welcome sandwich
Rides train free as a mutilé de guerre
With Pappy, Chollet, Valerie, and me in Paris
Counselor in Pappy’s Mission Presidency
Spoke at a memorial service in Bordeaux after The Accident.
With Mitt Romney, Eva Jorge, Robert Chollet, Michael Gardner, and others on that occasion (photo).
Bordeaux district conference

Pierre & Conchita Desquines

University professor
With branch members, in Hôtel de France courtyard
Conchita ailing
At baptism at la Lande d’Ouée
Ordained Elder 26 Nov 1961
Impressive, dignified
Worked unsuccessfully with Marcel Delétang
2 Apr 62: sustained as 1st counselor in Le Mans District Presidency
23 May 62: working with Molina
Engaged Algerian soldier in conversation at lake baptism
Baptized Brother Tani 1 Jul 62
Sustained as Le Mans District President 9 Sep 62
9 Sep 62 Spoke at Le Mans district conference
13 Oct 62 Called me as District Clerk, pending President Hinckley’s approval
13 Oct 62 Found a hall at Rennes for next District Conference
13 Oct 62 Worked energetically with André Chaussonnier
13 Oct 62 Took me with him to visit branches
Baby Cecilia born circa 17 Oct 62
Anxious to return to Rennes and family
10 Nov 62 We visited branches again
21 Dec 62 Christmas lunch
22 Dec 62 We visited branches again

Paul H & Jeanne Dunn

Ordained me a Seventy in 1970
Made Seminary curriculum with the folks, circa 1954
With Seminary supervisors
Ping-pong at USC
Pappy caught Paul and Jeanne Dunn in elegant costume for an Institute Christmas party.
Pushed missionary work among Seventies
New Hampshire and Vermont got their new stakes under President Dunn.
A cool guy. The missionaries adored President Dunn.
Never missed the Callahan Tunnel toll basket.
Mammy’s death a blow to him
Had worked closely with Mammy in the invention of early-morning Seminary.
19 May 1970, whisked me out of the Elders’ Quorum by calling and ordaining me a Seventy.
Inaugurated what he called enthusiastically the "Decade of the Seventies."
Shifted my Church activity definitively in the direction of missionary work.
Recalled that he had treated me with grown-up respect

Don William (Bill) Ence, Jr

Served with me in the presidency of the Boston Stake’s Seventies.
His son Mike “the Blizzard” a Scout Camp buddy of Rick’s.
(Mike got his blondness from Bill’s wife Lois).
Effective, loving and beloved leader of youth
Melted at sight of Brenya’s double ponytails.
Pioneering bishop in Worcester
Counselor to Stake President Gordon Williams

Richard L Evans

Caressed the microphone and told us it was his Stradivarius
Instructed new missionaries on preparation for the temple
Directed Pappy to join Rotary
Rotary came as a bit a shock to our Pappy, but he remained active.
His son Bill served with me as a sealer in Bountiful.

Hal Eyring

Ran into President Eyring in the Bountiful Temple
Briefly assigned to the third-floor walk-up bachelor apartment of Harvard graduate student Henry B (Hal) Eyring
Visited Hal Eyring when we were both students in Cambridge.

Bertin and Suzanne Farel

New Bordeaux district president
Lunch on balcony in Pau
In back seat of Bombinette
Rode in the back seat with Elder Wood
A district in Bordeaux, presided over by Bertin Farel
Bordeaux District Presidency: Vanizette, Farel, Gemgembre (photo).
After successful consultation… in Bordeaux (where Frère & Soeur Farel joined us…
… they picked up Bertin Farel, the district president, and his wife Suzanne in Bordeaux…
The Farels were particularly good friends…
…they picked up Bertin and Suzanne Farel, seasoned members and friends…
Elder Romney was driving, with his companion and the Farels in the back seat.

Marion Duff Hanks

Taught new missionaries study techniques
General Authority, President of British Mission
Standing in for ailing President Petersen
Preached about missionary disobedience
1 Nov 63: Paris conference for auxiliary leaders
Presided in President Petersen’s place
1 Nov 63: Should give an earful to President Petersen
2 Mar 64: Preached at Eiffel Tower

Don Hansen

Bishop and dentist; charged one baptism for pre-mission dental work

Levern M & Elsie Hansen

San Bernardino Stake President
Pappy was his counselor
Led singing at Third Ward groundbreaking
“Uncle Vern, to you kids”
Distributed awards Spoke and sang at my missionary farewell

Joseph Hasoppe

Photo
Belgian brother, formerly of the Mission Presidency
of Church Building Committee
Came to help restore order after the “vision” kerfuffle
Helped offload my branch duties 29 May 62
In Rennes 7 Jun 62, looking for buildings
Returned to Rennes 7 Nov 62
At Youth Conference banquet in Liège

E Earl Hawkes

Cambridge Branch President circa 1959
Called me as Assistant Cambridge Branch Clerk
Proposer of Temple Square illumination
Publisher of Boston Herald
Publisher of Deseret News

Melvin and Eugenia Herlin

Stake Missionary, laboring in Lynn Asian Branch
Patriarch in Boston and Cambridge Stakes
Stalwart and pioneer of the Weston Ward

Gordon Bitner and Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Addressed missionary training group
The first day we heard from Gordon B. Hinckley on accepted techniques of draft dodging
Gave approval for us to return with Pappy
Joined us to give Pappy a blessing
Distinguished Church leader
Mammy’s third cousin
Not fazed when Temple front door wasn’t quite ready
Dedicated Boston Temple
Excited to dedicate in the year 2000 the 100th currently-functioning Temple, the first one in New England, the land of his own forebears
Mentioned our shared Pilgrim ancestor, Stephen Hopkins
Called Kim Clark to preside over Ricks College
Grandson of Amos Herr Neff, who was brother to Great-Grandpa Franklin Neff
First cousin to Joseph Bitner Wirthlin.
Great-nephew to Uncle Orrin Porter Rockwell.
Mammy’s third cousin.
My third cousin, once removed.
Recognized and revered by millions as a prophet of God.

Rulon T & Lucilla Hinckley

My first mission president in Paris, 1961-64
Impressive man and leader
Met in his office
Sent him a weekly letter from the field
Came to mission conference in Paris 15 Nov 61
At district conference in Le Mans 21 Nov 61, told us to hurry
Visited chez Besnard 4 Dec 61
Came to conference at Tours 5 Jan 62
27 Feb 62: “Go west, young man; go west!”
14 Mar 62: First visit to Bretagne, to see meeting-place candidates
Gave special permission to ordain Yves Daviron immediately after his baptism
25 May 62: Mission Conference in Bordeaux
Rescued me from typewriter rashness
Introduced fourteen new missionaries
Came to Rennes 26 Jul 62
Ordained Jean Fruchet an elder; met with Claude Leroy; left chocolate for Hubert 26 Jul 62
9 Sep 62 Spoke at Le Mans district conference
26 Sep 62 Showing interest in property rue de Fougères
13 Oct 62 Sent me back to Chabot
13 Oct 62 Awaiting his authorization that I serve as District Clerk
17 Dec 62 Authorized me to sign lease, if necessary
Accompanied Petersens and President Moyle, Jr.
I Showed distinguished visitors around my part of the Home
I messed up Presidential travel plans
Recruited President Petersen to answer my publication questions
Called Hubert Leroy on building mission 3 Jun 63
Addressed Chang as “Elder Chang”
Inherited Brossard’s Citroën
Kiboshed “Big Mike” competition
Gave permission for me to travel with visiting folks
At Youth Conference banquet in Liège
Going to Belgium for district conferences
Gave me two hours to get ready to come with him to Belgium
Said good-bye to the Belgian part of the Mission
Carmen at the Opéra
West? or Bordeaux?
Gave permission to visit mayor
Mounted The Great Big Mission Conference
Lynn Bennion and I took the Hinckleys and the Haights to a performance of Carmen.

Howard W and Clara Hunter

Gave the most inspirational talk I’ve ever heard, by anybody.
Taught us how callings come to those who are required to serve in high Church offices.
Became good friends with the folks in 1968
At Keukenhof, near The Hague
On the deck of a ship in Norway
In Bordeaux, with Pappy and Mammy
Preached Mammy’s funeral sermon

Dave and Margaret Ingerson

Counselor to New England Mission Presidents Tempest and Olsen
Insists Aroostook County people just as happy as if they were in their right mind!
Rode shotgun, so I could demonstrate my lack of dignity
Shared with me the honeymoon suite in the White Horse Motel in Bangor, Maine, complete with the mirror above its emperor-size bed.

Spencer W Kimball

At Pappy’s hospital bedside, offered him an honorable release.
Pappy insisted that he had to go back
Assigned five metropolitan stakes to initiate ministry to the Jews
Assigned Pappy to give Asian patriarchal blessings
As a member of the Missionary Committee, approved our returning to help Pappy

Harold B Lee

Conducted a question and answer session in the Creation Room immediately after the session.
Elicited the last words of President J Reuben Clark: “Just to endure to the end, thank you, Harold.”
Honored in the naming of the Harold B Lee Library at Brigham Young University

Neal A Maxwell

Took my Lexington-Concord tour, lunched at Concord Inn

David O and Emma R McKay

With the folks in organizational context in the Church Education system.
I’ve had the honor of telling a lot of people that David O McKay was a prophet of God.
As you see here, he was also an exceedingly presentable Church leader.
“Signed” my 1956 Seminary certificate
Institute Graduates’ Day, 1958
The hand of fellowship (photo)
“Already approved” our return to Paris with Pappy, 1968
Interrupted him and said that he had already approved it…
Signed our retroactive call to accompany Pappy, 1968
Gives the hand of fellowship to a San Bernardino Seminary student.
Our Kaysville Haight Creek Stake President, Kyle McKay, is his great-nephew).
We old-timers can’t suppress a startle reaction when people refer to “President McKay”.

Thomas S Monson

Comforted Pappy’s fears at the beginning of his French Mission
It was past time to express our gratitude to President Monson for a crucial kindness
Responded to our thank-you note with a thank-you note
One doesn’t expect a thank-you note in response to a thank-you note.
But then President Monson was always one to exceed expectations

Henry D Moyle

Informed us of our duties
Of the First Presidency of the Church
Presided at mission conference in Paris 15 Nov 1961
Photo
President Moyle urged us to perform our own duties and to obey the Lord
Called Paris conference 4 Jul 62
Taught advantages of revelation for doctrinal development
18 Jan 63: Coming for inspection visit

Henry D Moyle, Jr

Of the French East Mission
Came with Petersens 24 Jan 63
I messed up presidential travel plans to meet with him
Chairman of Literature Committee; wanted to do printing in Geneva
1 Nov 63: Paris conference for auxiliary leaders
Pointed out the pansies

Fielding and Carolyn Nelson

At Copenhagen Mission Presidents’ conference, 1968
Carolyn shares the wheel with Leola

Boyd K and Donna Packer

“My little Teacher”
Made Seminary curriculum with the folks, circa 1954
Taught us teaching methods
Donna Packer learned of her husband’s call as a General Authority from the television
“My little teacher”
Ken and David Packer among my Seminary students
Woke me up with news of accident
Learned of the accident from Ned Winder
Visited us in Paris, 1968
Aimed to turn all New England districts into stakes
Conferred the sealing power on me, 30 Sep 2000
Referred to the sealed portion of the hymnbook

L Tom Perry

Called Bert van Uitert as his first executive secretary
Very innovative President of Boston Stake
Honored in the organization of the L Tom Perry Special Collections in the Library at BYU

Mark E and Emma Marr Petersen

Of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles
Jan 63: Replaced President Tanner at the head of the Western European Mission
Instructed us to ensure that baptismal candidates have some idea what they were joining
18 Jan 63: Coming for inspection visit
24 Jan 63: Hesitant to let me publish everything he said
I showed distinguished visitors around my part of the Home
Recruited by President Hinckley to answer my publication questions
At Youth Conference banquet in Liège
Sick; couldn’t chair September 63 literature meetings
Couldn’t meet in Nancy without him
1 Nov 63: Absent from his Paris conference for auxiliary leaders
1 Nov 63: Sorely missed
1 Nov 63: Should get an earful from President Hanks
3 Mar 64: Preached at Eiffel Tower
3 Mar 64: Greeted me by name

Rex C Reeve

First Northeast Area President
Called in 1979
First General Authority to visit Caribou, Maine
Dignity in Bangor

Wayne A Reeves

San Bernardino Stake President
Presented Church books to SBVC library
Lambda Delta Sigma Church books to SBVC library

Marcel and Bernadette Renaud

Said we overpaid Bomber
Élisabeth with Michel at Christmas fête
At a baptism service at the Lande d’Ouée 6 May 62 (photo)
Rennes Branch President 26 Nov 1961
Suddenly responsible for Rennes and Nantes branches
With branch members, at Christmas fête
Sister Renaud helped with teaching the Leroys
Helped convince Georgette Leroy to permit Josette’s baptism
Humble, sweet, effective leader
Higley and I served (successively) as his counselors
Served me rabbit’s head by way of welcome
Humble, sweet, effective leader
Called me as his second counselor 22 Feb 62
Mission has given permission for my assignment
Marie France (?) and Sister Renaud jumping rope 24 Apr 62
Claude Leroy will be his first counselor
Elisabeth performing at 1968 district conference
Will need new counselor when I leave
Discouraged at magnitude of his responsibilities
Employed (as stonecutter) by Sister Fauchard
Moved at Brother Tani’s baptism
Great photo: My “mamans” and the MJM Elisabeth in adorable MJM group
Elisabeth on stage at district conference

Legrand Richards

Set me apart as a missionary to France, 1961
Addressed missionary training group, warning against temptation and exorting to obedience and diligence

Allen Claire Rozsa

New England Mission President circa1976
Believed that family relations should be a body-contact sport

N Eldon Tanner

Replaced Alvin R Dyer as president of the European Mission while I was in Rennes.
By the time I went to Paris in 1963, our beloved Mark E Petersen had replaced him.
Some said, “The Dyer Fire” has been damped down by the “Tanner Manner.”
Assistant to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles
Came to mission conference in Paris 15 Nov 1961
Very fond of mottos.
Photo
Addressed mission conference in Paris 11 Jan 1962
Announced that 213 persons had borne testimony the day before.
25 May 62: Mission Conference in Bordeaux; interviewed me (and all the missionaries)
8 Aug 62: Turned down our rue de Fougères property proposal as too expensive
Jan 63: Replaced by President Petersen at the head of the Western European Mission

Rich and Ruth Tempest

Mission President in New England, 1979)
Called me as his counselor)
Contrast with academic predecessor
Had ecclesiastical responsibility for remote Caribou District
Dignity in Bangor: asked me to take the wheel.

Gordon and DeeDee Williams

Built their family in parallel with ours—until the caboose.
Office at former BLI in delivery room where our last four children were born.
Stake President who called me as his Stake Clerk.
Sunday-afternoon Stake Presidency meetings in his living room.
Worked with cast of thousands.
Presided over major Stake reorganization.
Our Bishop in the Cambridge Ward.
Called Mitt Romney as his Ward Executive Secretary.
Regional Representative
World-famous endocrinologist, old friend, bishop, stake president, principal Phase V founder, collaborator, etc.
Regional Representative of the Quorum of the Twelve
Called me as his Regional Executive Secretary
Rescued us from unemployment by introducing me to Marcia.
Co-founder of Phase V Technologies and of CoMMensa, Inc.
Principal consultant to Phase V.
Spun off CoMMensa, Inc., to continue collaboration with Gordon and Norm
Principal consultant to CoMMensa
Hosted meetings of CoMMensa staff and customers at former BLI
Co-authored QOL articles:

Hollenberg, Norman K., Gordon H. Williams, and Richard B. Anderson, Symptoms and the Distress They Cause: Comparison of an Aldosterone Antagonist and a Calcium Channel Blocking Agent in Patients with Systolic Hypertension. Accepted for publication, Archives of Internal Medicine, 2002.

Anderson, Richard B., Norman K. Hollenberg, and Gordon H. Williams: Stress Arising from External Events: Implications for Assessment of Drug Effects. Submitted to Drug Information Journal, 2002.

Hollenberg, Norman K., Gordon H. Williams, and Richard B. Anderson, Medical Therapy, Symptoms, and the Distress They Cause: Relation to Quality of Life in Patients With Angina Pectoris and/or Hypertension. Archives of Internal Medicine 2000;160:1477-1483.

Anderson, Richard B., Norman K. Hollenberg, and Gordon H. Williams, Physical Symptoms Distress Index: A Sensitive Tool for Evaluating the Impact of Pharmacologic Agents on Quality of Life. Archives of Internal Medicine 1999;159:693-700.

Testa, Marcia A., Norman K. Hollenberg, Richard B. Anderson, and Gordon H. Williams, Assessment of Quality of Life by Patient and Spouse During Antihypertensive Therapy with Atenolol and Nifedipine Gastrointestinal Therapeutic System. American Journal of Hypertension 1991; 4:363-373.

Bert and LuAnne van Uitert

One of only three men to whom I’ve answered cheerfully to “Dick”
Arrived in ’58, when I did.
Counselor in Cambridge Branch presidency.
We’d worked together when I was Assistant Branch Clerk.
First bishop of the Cambridge Ward
Sweet “48” hospitality, when we returned in ’64
Dennis and Kurt in my disastrous Seminary class
Sang on Louisburg Square on Christmas Eve
President Bushman released the whole high council except for Bert
Accused me of cheating as Home Teacher
Used me as an example of getting academic requirements out of the way
Put me back into his clerking staff in 1969
Called me as his first executive secretary
Served as Stake President Perry’s first executive secretary
L Tom Perry preached his funeral sermon

Gael and Laurel Ulrich

“Forty-eighted” us in 1966
Our Bishop in Cambridge
Signed my Temple recommend 18 May 1969.
During Gael’s extended absence in Spain, his Priesthood Executive Committee ran the Ward: my first such assignment. I was on the Committee as Seventies Group Leader.