By Jacob Conde
Elder David Bruce Haight of the Quorum of the Twelve of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints died early morning of Saturday, July 31.
Elder Haight was 97 years old at the time of his passing and the oldest apostle in church history. He died of natural causes at 4:15 a.m. in the company of family members. His death was preceded by the death Elder Neal A. Maxwell, also of the Quorum of the Twelve, by ten days.
The First Presidency expressed sympathy for Elder Haight''s family and praised his accomplishments in a statement released on the official church Web site.
'While at his age his passing was not unexpected, it is nevertheless a cause for mourning,' the news release stated. 'His service has been long and dedicated. He has stirred the hearts of people across the earth with his declaration of faith and his testimony of the living reality of the Lord Jesus Christ.'
David B. Haight was born in Oakley, Idaho on Sep. 2, 1906. By the time he was 13, his father and four of his siblings had passed away. He attended Utah State University and earned a bachelor''s degree in business administration. He got a job with a department store in Salt Lake City after graduation. After a year of courting, he married Ruby Olsen on Sep. 4, 1930, in the Salt Lake Temple.
Elder Haight went on to work for several firms and companies, including ZCMI and Montgomery Ward. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 as a commissioned officer. While serving in the Navy, Elder Haight rededicated himself to serving the Lord and his fellow man.
'I made a commitment to the Lord that if I got out of the war alive and back with my family that the church would always come first in my life,' Haight said in an edition of the Church News. 'Before then it seemed to me that I didn''t have my priorities in proper order ... that night I reappraised my life and I recommitted myself to the Lord.'
He became a commander in the Navy and sponsored a plan to improve the flow of materials into the pacific campaign during World War II. His plan was so successful it was praised by Admiral Chester Nimitz as one of the key factors of the Allies'' success and awarded Elder Haight a special citation for service to his country.
Elder Haight dedicated his life after the war to service. He served as a stake president while in Palo Alto, Calif. and was involved with the Boy Scouts and the Red Cross. In addition, he later served on the city council and finally was elected mayor of Palo Alto for two terms.
Although he was busy, Elder Haight said he was glad to be able to serve in a high-profile way to help people learn more about the church. He also said if people make the time to serve they will have the time they need to do everything else.
'Build service into your thinking and your aims and desires, and then organize your time right,' Elder Haight said. 'It will work if you want it to.'
He resigned as mayor when called to serve as a mission president in Scotland in 1963. Upon completing his call, he worked as a special assistant to Ernest L. Wilkinson, president of BYU, for three and a half years. His chief duties included creating a program to provide funding to students wanting to attend the university.
After nearly 10 years serving as a regional representative and assistant to the Twelve, he was called to be an Apostle on Jan. 8, 1976. Elder Haight, in the video 'Special Witnesses of Christ,' said the call was a complete shock to him.
'I never even imagined it, really,' Elder Haight said in the February Ensign, 1976. 'I''ve never coveted an office in this church. Never. It was an experience I''ll never forget.'
Elder Haight went on to serve faithfully in this office for 28 years, until his death on Saturday. He is survived by his wife, Ruby. They have had three children, 18 grandchildren and 70 great-grandchildren at the time of his passing.