[Deathwatch] Gordon Hinckley, Mormon president, 97

[Deathwatch Central <cdw@slick.org>]

Mormon pioneer Gordon Hinckley dead at 97
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/01/27/obit.hinckley/index.html

(CNN) -- Mormon leader Gordon B. Hinckley died Sunday night at age 97,
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints announced.

 Hinckley had "been in failing health for some time and his passing is
due to age," said church spokesman Bruce Olsen. "He was speaking in
public as late as two to three weeks ago and had a full schedule in his
office as late as last week."

Hinckley became president of the Salt Lake City-based church in 1995,
at age 84, and had been a member of its top leadership since the 1960s.
Mormon church presidents serve for life.

The church has about 13 million members worldwide and has experienced
five percent annual growth in recent years.

He died about 7 p.m. Sunday (9 p.m. ET) with his family by his side,
church officials said.

"His life was a true testament of service, and he had an abiding love
for others," said U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, a Utah Republican and fellow
Mormon. "His wit, wisdom, and exemplary leadership will be missed by
not only members of our faith, but by people of all faiths throughout
the world."

Hinckley married Marjorie Pay at the Salt Lake City temple in 1937.
They had five children, 25 grandchildren and 38 great-grand children.
Marjorie Hinckley died in 2004.

"I've been blessed so abundantly that I can never get over it,"
Hinckley told CNN's Larry King in 2004. "I just feel so richly blessed.
I want to extend that to others, whenever I can."

Hinckley was the 15th president in the 177-year history of the Mormon
church. President Bush awarded him a Presidential Medal of Freedom in
2004.

According to a church statement, Hinckley was the most-traveled
president in the church's history, visiting more than 60 countries. He
also oversaw a massive temple-building program, doubling the number of
temples worldwide to more than 100.

Hinckley spent 70 years working in the church and is considered the
architect of its vast public relations network. He worked to diffuse
controversies over polygamy and to promote full inclusion of
non-whites.

Mormons believe the president of the church is a living prophet and
apostle. They considered his words divinely inspired, including his
views on homosexuality and the role of men and women in the home.

"We are not anti-gay. We are pro-family, let me put it that way,"
Hinckley told King in 2004. "We love these people and try to work with
them and help them. We know they have a problem. We want to help them
solve that problem."

In an earlier interview with King, Hinckley laid out his views on
family structure.

"Put father at the head of the house again," he said. "A good father,
who loves his wife and whose wife loves him, and whose children love
him ... and let them grow together as good citizens of the land."

A church body known as the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles becomes its
governing body upon the death of a president. It will choose a
successor after Hinckley's funeral. No arrangements have been
announced, Olsen said.

Many thanks to TheLenGuy for posting this obituary