Ezra Taft Benson
Ezra Taft Benson (August 4, 1899 – May 30, 1994) was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader who served as the 15th United States secretary of agriculture during both presidential terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower and as the 13th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1985 until his death in 1994.
For the religious leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1811–1869) and great-grandfather of Ezra Taft Benson, see Ezra T. Benson.Ezra Taft Benson
Became President of the Church
Became President of the Church
Heber J. Grant
Deaths of Sylvester Q. Cannon and Rudger Clawson[1]
Jeffrey R. Holland ordained
Ezra Taft Benson
August 4, 1899
Whitney, Idaho, U.S.
May 30, 1994 (aged 94)
Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.
6, including Reed
Health problems and death[edit]
Benson suffered poor health in the last years of his life from the effects of blood clots in the brain, dementia, strokes, and heart attacks, and was rarely seen publicly in his final years. He was ultimately rendered unable to speak due to the strokes he suffered. One of Benson's last appearances during which he spoke was at his 90th birthday celebration in 1989. Benson made his final public appearance at the funeral of his wife Flora in 1992. He was hospitalized in 1992 and 1993 with pneumonia.
Benson died on May 30, 1994, of congestive heart failure in his Salt Lake City apartment, at age 94. Funeral services were held June 4, 1994, in the Salt Lake Tabernacle and were conducted by Hinckley. Benson was buried near his birthplace in Whitney, Idaho, at the Whitney City Cemetery. Following Benson's funeral, Howard W. Hunter succeeded him as church president.