Nathan Eldon Tanner (May 9, 1898–November 27, 1982) was a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and a politician from the Canadian province of Alberta. He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, but his family soon moved to Aetna outside of Cardston, Alberta, where he was raised.
Life as a politician
Tanner was elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta in 1935, he served in the legislature for the Alberta Social Credit Party being re-elected multiple times until 1952. During his term in office he served as Speaker of the Alberta Legislative Assembly and Provincial Minister of Lands and Mines.
Life in the Church
In 1960, Tanner was called to be an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a full-time general authority of the church. In 1962, Apostle George Q. Morris's passing opened up a vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which Tanner was called to fill. Named to the Quorum of the Twelve in October 1962, he was its second most junior member one year later when he was called into the First Presidency as second counselor to Church President David O. McKay. Tanner remained in this position for the presidency of Joseph Fielding Smith (1970-1972), and then became first counselor to Smith's successor Harold B. Lee, remaining first counselor to Lee and Spencer W. Kimball until his own death. It was during Kimball's presidency that Tanner was called upon to read in church general conference the church's announcement that race was no longer to be a barrier to ordination to the priesthood. Not long afterward, Tanner's health deteriorated and it became impossible for him to shoulder the burdens of his office. With Church President Kimball and second counselor Marion G. Romney also ailing, the decision was made to add Gordon B. Hinckley as an additional counselor to the First Presidency on July 23, 1981. Tanner remained first counselor until his death the following year at age 84.
External links
| Legislative Assembly of Alberta | ||
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| Preceded by George Stringham |
MLA Cardston 1935-1952 |
Succeeded by Edgar Hinman |
| Preceded by George Johnston |
Speaker of the Alberta Legislative Assembly 1936-1937 |
Succeeded by Peter Dawson |
| Religious titles | ||
| Preceded by Gordon B. Hinckley |
Quorum of the Twelve Apostles October 11, 1962–November 27, 1982 |
Succeeded by Thomas S. Monson |
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| Gause • Rigdon • Williams • Cowdery • H. Smith • John Smith • Joseph Smith • Law • Bennett • Lyman • Kimball • W. Richards • Grant • Wells • J.F. Smith, Sr. • G.A. Smith • J.W. Young • Cannon • B. Young • Snow • Carrington • Clawson • Winder • Lund • J.H. Smith • Penrose • Ivins • Nibley • Clark • McKay • S.L. Richards • Moyle • Brown • Tanner • Isaacson • J.F. Smith, Jr. • Dyer • Lee • Romney • Hinckley • Monson • Faust • Eyring |
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| Romney • McKay • Young • Sonne • Smith • Morris • S. Richards • Christiansen • Longden • Brown • Sill • Hinckley • Taylor • Critchlow • Dyer • Tanner • F.D. Richards • Burton • Isaacson • Packer • Brockbank • Cullimore • Hanks • Ashton • Anderson • Haight • Bennett • Vandenburg • Simpson • Stone • Faust • Perry • Fyans • Maxwell • Bangerter • Hales • Komatsu • Wirthlin |
