George I. Cannon
Encyclopedia
George Ivins Cannon was a leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was a general authority
of the church from 1986 to 1991.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah
, Cannon was the son of George J. Cannon and Lucy Grant Cannon
, a leader of the youth in the LDS Church. His maternal grandfather was Heber J. Grant
, the president of the LDS Church. His paternal grandfather was Abraham H. Cannon
, who also was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Abraham H. was a son of George Q. Cannon
, an early member of the church's First Presidency
.
As a young man, Cannon served as an LDS Church missionary
in the church's Central States Mission
. After his mission, he served in the United States Air Force
during the Second World War. In 1946, he began attending Brigham Young University
.
After graduating from BYU, Cannon became a vice president of Beneficial Life Insurance Company
in Salt Lake City. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America
and served on the Great Salt Lake Council of that organization.
Prior to his call as a church general authority, Cannon served in the church as a bishop, stake president, patriarch, temple
sealer, and Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles. He was also the president
of the church's Central British Mission in the mid-1960s. From 1969 to 1972, Cannon was an assistant and counselor to W. Jay Eldredge
, the general superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association.
Cannon became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church in April 1986. In 1989, he was transferred to the newly created Second Quorum of the Seventy, where he served until being released as a general authority in 1991. Cannon was subsequently asked to become the president
of the Salt Lake Temple
, a position he held from 1993 to 1996.
Cannon was married to Isabel Hales and was the father of seven children. He died at his home in Salt Lake City at age 89.
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of the church from 1986 to 1991.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, Cannon was the son of George J. Cannon and Lucy Grant Cannon
Lucy Grant Cannon
Lucy Grant Cannon was the fourth general president of the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1937 to 1948...
, a leader of the youth in the LDS Church. His maternal grandfather was Heber J. Grant
Heber J. Grant
Heber Jeddy Grant was the seventh president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He was ordained an apostle on October 16, 1882, on the same day as George Teasdale...
, the president of the LDS Church. His paternal grandfather was Abraham H. Cannon
Abraham H. Cannon
Abraham Hoagland Cannon , born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ....
, who also was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve. Abraham H. was a son of George Q. Cannon
George Q. Cannon
George Quayle Cannon was an early member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and served in the First Presidency under four successive presidents of the church: Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, and Lorenzo Snow...
, an early member of the church's First Presidency
First Presidency (LDS Church)
The First Presidency is the presiding or governing body of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It is composed of the President of the Church and his counselors. The First Presidency currently consists of President Thomas S. Monson and his two counselors, Henry B...
.
As a young man, Cannon served as an LDS Church missionary
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in the church's Central States Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. After his mission, he served in the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
during the Second World War. In 1946, he began attending Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
.
After graduating from BYU, Cannon became a vice president of Beneficial Life Insurance Company
Beneficial Financial Group
Beneficial Financial Group is an insurance and financial services company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is a subsidiary of Deseret Management Corporation, which is in turn owned by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
in Salt Lake City. He was active in the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
and served on the Great Salt Lake Council of that organization.
Prior to his call as a church general authority, Cannon served in the church as a bishop, stake president, patriarch, temple
Temple (LDS Church)
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a temple is a building dedicated to be a House of the Lord, and they are considered by Church members to be the most sacred structures on earth. Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time...
sealer, and Regional Representative of the Twelve Apostles. He was also the president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the church's Central British Mission in the mid-1960s. From 1969 to 1972, Cannon was an assistant and counselor to W. Jay Eldredge
W. Jay Eldredge
Walter Joshua "Jay" Eldredge Jr. was the thirteenth general superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1969 to 1972.-Biography:...
, the general superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association.
Cannon became a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of the LDS Church in April 1986. In 1989, he was transferred to the newly created Second Quorum of the Seventy, where he served until being released as a general authority in 1991. Cannon was subsequently asked to become the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
, a position he held from 1993 to 1996.
Cannon was married to Isabel Hales and was the father of seven children. He died at his home in Salt Lake City at age 89.