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Delbert L. Stapley

Delbert Leon Stapley (11 December 1896—19 August 1978) (commonly known as Delbert L. Stapley) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1950 to 1978. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... December 11 is the 345th day of the year (346th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1896 (MDCCCXCVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display calendar). ... is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... The current Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the LDS Church. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ...

Early life

Elder Stapley was born in Mesa, Arizona. As a youth, he rejected a chance at playing Major League Baseball so he could serve a mission. He remained active throughout his life, with his favorite sport being golf. He loved sports. Ensign stories say he rejected a chance to play Major League Baseball because he didn't want to play on Sunday, that being a sacred day for Latter-day Saints to not work or play.^{[citation needed]} Location in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona Coordinates: , Country United States State Arizona Counties Maricopa Government  - Mayor Keno Hawker (R) Area  - City 125. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This article is about the sport. ... Ensign is an official magazine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ...

Calling

He was a stake president for only three years before receiving a call to the apostleship on September 30, 1950. Stapley was sustained on October 5, 1950 at the October General Conference to fill the vacancy caused by the passing of George F. Richards. Interestingly, Stapley was notified of his new calling by President George Albert Smith in the elevator bank of the Hotel Utah. A stake president is a title held by a Mormon religious leader who oversees a unit of the church called a stake. ... is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In Mormonism, a general conference is a meeting open to all members of a particular Latter Day Saint denomination. ... Categories: LDS stubs ... In the Latter Day Saint movement, the President of the Church is generally considered to be the highest office of the church. ... George Albert Smith (April 4, 1870 – April 4, 1951) was an influential religious leader and the eighth president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ... The Joseph Smith Memorial Building is located on the corner of Main Street and South Temple in Salt Lake City. ...

Views on civil rights

A letter sent by Stapley is illustrative of his perspective regarding blacks before they were more widely assimilated into the LDS Church. Dated January 23, 1964, the letter urges then-Michigan Governor George W. Romney to back away from his perspectives that favored civil rights, and calls the then-current civil rights bill "vicious legislation."^[1] Romney is reported to have accelerated his engagement in the civil rights cause shortly after receiving the letter. is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... George Wilcken Romney (July 8, 1907 – July 26, 1995) was chairman of the American Motors Corporation from 1954 to 1962 and was elected three times as the Republican Governor of Michigan from 1963 to 1969. ...

Passing

Elder Stapley delivered his last conference address in October of 1977. The following April conference he was too ill to attend.

Elder Stapley died on August 19, 1978 in Salt Lake City, Utah. He suffered cardiac arrest at about noon while walking near his home. At the time of his death, he was the third ranking apostle in the church. is the 230th day of the year (231st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. ...

His vacancy in the quorum was filled by James E. Faust. James Esdras Faust (July 31, 1920—) (commonly known as James E. Faust) is Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. ...

Notes

1. ^ http://www.boston.com/news/daily/24/delbert_stapley.pdf

External links

• Biography by Grampa Bill
• News Item on Passing in Ensign
• The Blessings of Righteous Obedience, his last conference talk.