David Bruce Haight

1906 - 2004  (97 years)  Submit Photo / Document    Has no ancestors but 25 descendants in this family tree.

• Name	David Bruce Haight
  Birth	2 Sep 1906	Oakley, Cassia, Idaho, United States
  Gender	Male
  Initiatory (LDS)	3 Sep 1930	SLAKE
  FamilySearch ID	KWCF-595
  Death	31 Jul 2004	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
  Burial	7 Aug 2004	Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
  Person ID	I98332	mytree
  Last Modified	25 Feb 2024

  
  

  Family	Ruby Mildred Olson,   b. 28 Apr 1910, Fairview, Sanpete, Utah, United States d. 5 Dec 2004, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States (Age 94 years)
  Marriage	4 Sep 1930	Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States
  Children	1. David Bruce Haight, Jr,   b. 20 Aug 1932, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States d. 21 Sep 2020, Menlo Park, San Mateo, California, United States (Age 88 years) + 2. Karen Haight
  Family ID	F31228	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	21 Nov 2024

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 2 Sep 1906 - Oakley, Cassia, Idaho, United States Initiatory (LDS) - 3 Sep 1930 - SLAKE Marriage - 4 Sep 1930 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Death - 31 Jul 2004 - Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States Burial - 7 Aug 2004 - Wasatch Lawn Memorial Park, Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, United States  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Notes

  He was the oldest member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in the his t ory of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Elder David Bruce Haight: Devoted Disciple 2 September 1906–31 July 2004 Elder David B. Haight As a youth, David B. Haight came close to death on two occasions: once w h en he was thrown from a runaway buggy and a second time when he hit hi s h ead while diving into a swimming hole. “I think the Lord was preservi ng h is life in his early years” for a great purpose, said his son Rober t (quo ted in Ronald E. Poelman, ‘’Elder David B. Haight: Joy in Liftin g Others, ” Tambuli, Sept. 1987, 20; Ensign, Sept. 1986, 12). Indeed, the Lord had plans for young David. He would later be called t o t he Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, eventually becoming, at age 97, th e old est Apostle in the history of the Church. His service in the apostl eshi p ended on 31 July 2004 when he passed away in Salt Lake City of cau ses i ncident to age. He was remembered as a devoted disciple during a fu nera l service held on 5 August in the Tabernacle on Temple Square. A Powerful Testimony Elder Haight “stirred the hearts of people across the earth with his dec l aration of faith and his testimony of the living reality of the Lord Je su s Christ,” said the First Presidency in a media statement. “He has bor n e that witness on many continents and has been influential in the Chur c h he loved. … At his departure, our hearts reach out to his beloved com pa nion, Ruby, and their children.” Elder Haight was known for his extemporaneous talks at general conferenc e , which were filled with down-to-earth anecdotes and expressions of hi s d eep and abiding testimony of the gospel’s truthfulness. In his most r ecen t conference address, given last April, he declared: “God lives. … [ He] l oves us, as we should love Him. … The gospel is true. I know it; I’ m a wi tness of it” (“How Great the Wisdom and the Love,” Liahona and Ens ign, Ma y 2004, 6). Commitment and Charity David Bruce Haight was born on 2 September 1906 in Oakley, Idaho, to Hec t or C. Haight and Clara Tuttle Haight. In his early life he experience d th e deaths of his father and four of his siblings due to illness. Thes e pai nful losses gave him compassion and understanding for those who fac ed adv ersity in their own lives. Despite such difficult experiences, h e describ ed himself as a “typical boy growing up in a country town” (quo ted in Ger ry Avant, “Elder Haight Recognized What Really Is ‘Great Momen t’ in Life, ” Church News, 24 Nov. 1985, 5). The Church was an important influence throughout his life, but a turni n g point in his commitment to the gospel occurred during World War II, w he n he was serving as a lieutenant commander in the United States Navy . Aft er leaving his family behind in California to fly to Honolulu, Hawa ii, h e spent a sleepless night in the back of an airplane reappraising h is lif e and pouring out his heart in prayer. Although he had served in m any Chu rch callings and had been serving in a bishopric, he decided he w asn’t a s dedicated as he should have been. “I’ve often thought maybe tha t was m y road to Damascus as I thought about my family that I left bac k on tha t landing dock out in the bay,” he later said. “I made a total c ommitmen t that I would never question a call from the Lord. I would us e whateve r few talents I had to build the kingdom if I might survive m y involvemen t in that conflict” (quoted in Church News, 24 Nov. 1985, 5) . He kept that promise, later serving as president of the Palo Alto Califo r nia Stake, as president of the Scottish Mission, and as a regional repr es entative prior to his call in April 1970 as an Assistant to the Twelve . O n 8 January 1976 he was ordained an Apostle. Elder Haight knew that regardless of the callings he was given, the esse n ce of gospel living is charity, the pure love of Christ. As he told on e o f his grandsons, “The Lord isn’t going to be concerned about whethe r yo u were a bishop, or stake president, or Apostle. He’s going to be co ncern ed about how you treated people” (quoted in Tambuli, Sept. 1987, 22 ; Ensi gn, Sept. 1986, 14). Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has remark e d upon Elder Haight’s awareness of the needs of others, offering this e xa mple: “Elder Haight read the newspaper account of a young man, an expe rie nced swimmer, who drowned trying to save others whose canoe had capsi zed . David did not know the family, but his heart went out to them.” H e atte nded the viewing at the mortuary, where he extended his sympathy t o the w idow and the parents of the young man. Elder Haight’s concern fo r them op ened the way for the parents to become active in the Church. El der Haigh t later performed the temple sealing of the parents to their th ree sons , including the young man who had passed away (see Lucile C. Tat e, Davi d B. Haight: The Life Story of a Disciple [1987], 288). A 74-Year Courtship Many of Elder Haight’s talks were sprinkled with references to his belov e d wife, Ruby. Young David first saw Ruby Olson at a dance he was attend in g with another young woman. As he and his date observed the other danc ers , “the cutest girl [he] had seen in [his] life” came dancing by wit h he r date. David watched the high-spirited young woman in the red dres s danc e by several times and then asked his date if she knew that girl . His dat e responded that they were sorority sisters. “Now, this is no t the way t o win friends and influence people, but I asked my date if sh e would intr oduce me to Ruby sometime,” Elder Haight recalled. That introduction never occurred, but a short time later Ruby applied f o r a position at the store David managed. She was hired. When he asked h e r for a date, she told him she already had a date that evening. He reme mb ered: “I asked what time her date was coming. She said at 8 o’clock . I sa id, ‘How about my coming at 6?’” (quoted in Church News, 24 Nov. 1 985, 5) . The relationship soon became exclusive, and later the couple married i n t he Salt Lake Temple on 4 September 1930. Their courtship continued th roug hout their almost 74 years of marriage. Elder Haight’s secretary, Li nda D alley, recalls an experience she had when visiting the Haights earl ier th is year: “Their housekeeper let me in, and she motioned to me to n ot mak e any noise. She said, ‘Look in the living room,’ and there were E lder an d Sister Haight, as ill as Elder Haight had been, and the two o f them wer e in the living room dancing together. I thought that was on e of the swee test things I had ever seen. Ninety-seven years old, and a t that time Sis ter Haight was 93, in the living room dancing without mus ic. They didn’ t need music. They had the music in their hearts.” Elder and Sister Haight have 3 children, 18 grandchildren, and 78 great- g randchildren. Professional Career Elder Haight had a long and successful professional career. He complet e d his schooling at Utah State University and served in managerial and e xe cutive positions for department stores in Utah, California, and Illino is , finally owning a group of retail stores in the 1950s. From 1959 to 1 96 3 he was mayor of Palo Alto, California. He was in his second term whe n h e was called to serve as president of the Scottish Mission. After his service as mission president, Elder Haight worked as an assist a nt to the president of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, prio r t o being called as an Assistant to the Twelve. A Life of Righteousness Elder Haight’s legacy benefits not only his posterity but all member s o f the Church who have been inspired by his testimony and his faith i n Jes us Christ. In a general conference address he urged members to “hav e tha t testimony, that desire in our hearts, to teach others, to explai n wha t we believe, and to live lives of righteousness, … to be an exampl e to m ankind, and to be able to spread this work not only by what we sa y but b y the way we act” (“Faith, Devotion, and Gratitude,” Liahona, Jul y 2000 , 42; Ensign, May 2000, 35). Elder Haight was a living example o f what h e taught. Much-Loved Apostle Remembered by His Brethren At his funeral, speakers offered the following tributes to Elder Davi d B . Haight: President Gordon B. Hinckley: “He recognized that each of the human fami l y was a child of God and that we are all, therefore, brothers and siste rs . He carried in his heart an appreciation of all whom he came to know , re gardless of their religious affiliation. … He knew his place and hi s uniq ue responsibility as one who testifies of the living reality of th e Lor d Jesus Christ.” President Thomas S. Monson, First Counselor in the First Presidency: “Th e re was no chink in his armor. There was no guile in his soul. There wa s n o flaw in his character. Elder Haight loved the Lord with all his hea rt a nd soul and served Him with all his might to the very end of his mor tal l ife.” President James E. Faust, Second Counselor in the First Presidency: “H i s greatest work was among people as a devoted disciple of Christ. … Tho us ands and thousands of lives have been directly touched by his unique c ari ng to many. He was uncompromising in doing what was right.” President Boyd K. Packer, Acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve A p ostles: “Death is an essential part of life. … [Elder Haight] is now i n p aradise. … We know something about what paradise is like and what Dav id B . Haight will be doing. … God bless the memory of David B. Haight.”