David B. Haight
Born: 2 September 1906
Called as Assistant to the Twelve: 6 April 1970
Called to the Quorum of the Twelve: 8 January 1976
Died: 31 July 2004
Called as Assistant to the Twelve: 6 April 1970
Called to the Quorum of the Twelve: 8 January 1976
Died: 31 July 2004
Biographical Articles
Improvement Era, May 1970, Elder David B. Haight, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve
Relief Society Magazine, June 1970, Elder David B. Haight Called as an Assistant to the Twelve
Ensign, February 1976, Elder David B. Haight Called to the Council of the Twelve
Ensign, October 1976, Elder David B. Haight
Ensign, September 1986, Elder David B. Haight: Joy in Lifting Others
Ensign, August 1994, Elder Haight Honored as City's Oldest Living Ex-Mayor
Ensign, November 1996, Elder Haight Celebrates 90th Birthday
Ensign, October 2004, Elder David Bruce Haight: Devoted Disciple
Relief Society Magazine, June 1970, Elder David B. Haight Called as an Assistant to the Twelve
Ensign, February 1976, Elder David B. Haight Called to the Council of the Twelve
Ensign, October 1976, Elder David B. Haight
Ensign, September 1986, Elder David B. Haight: Joy in Lifting Others
Ensign, August 1994, Elder Haight Honored as City's Oldest Living Ex-Mayor
Ensign, November 1996, Elder Haight Celebrates 90th Birthday
Ensign, October 2004, Elder David Bruce Haight: Devoted Disciple
Gabbott, Mabel Jones. "Elder David B. Haight, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve." Improvement Era. May 1970. pg. 10-11.
David B. Haight Assistant to the Council of the Twelve By Mabel Jones Gabbott Manuscript Editor • "One of our challenges in society," says Elder David B. Haight, "is learning to get along with people—to understand their needs, their wants, and their aspirations." To this newly appointed Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, working with people is not only a challenge but a joy. "I enjoy people," Brother Haight said. "I enjoy being with them and working with them. Most of my life has been spent in working with people—in my business career, in the navy, in my involvement in civic activities, and in the Church." Elder Haight was born in Oakley, Idaho, on September 2, 1906, a son of Hector Caleb Haight and Clara Josephine Tuttle. He was married in 1930 to Ruby Olson of Fairview, Utah. They have three children— two sons and a daughter—and 13 grandchildren. His father died when David was very young, and he has great respect for his widowed mother. Her teachings and her example have been a steadying influence all his life. The need he has felt of a father's guidance in his life has helped Elder Haight to form close ties with his own sons and to build richness in all family relationships. Family members recall sharing home evenings of singing with their father, vacations fishing together on Utah streams, and an unforgettable pack trip in California when even the youngest, at age eight, walked 38 miles into the high Sierras. To celebrate Elder Haight's fiftieth birthday, the family spent two weeks together in the Hawaiian Islands. "We have always been a close family," said Elder Haight. Sister Haight, the three children, and some of the grandchildren were in the Tabernacle Monday morning to sustain him in his new position in the Church. Elder Haight's contribution to the Church has been varied and interesting. He was a member of a bishopric and a high councilor in Palo Alto, California, and was serving as stake president of the Palo Alto Stake when he was called to be president of the Scottish Mission. He has also served as a Regional Representative of the Council of the Twelve, an assignment that, he says, "I thoroughly enjoyed. It was good to meet with the stake presidents, their counselors, and the bishops, and help them see the magnitude of the gospel plan. I thoroughly enjoyed my assignment, working with these brethren, attempting to communicate with them and to understand their needs and problems. In this matter of communication, we try to move what is in our mind over into the other person's mind—and," he added, "that is part of our involvement with people." Active involvement with people dates from Elder Haight's college days at Logan, Utah, where he was athletic manager for Utah State Agricultural College (now Utah State University). After graduation, he went into retailing. Although there was a great depression, he moved steadily forward in that business. He was associated with Keith O'Brien, ZCMI, and then Montgomery Ward and Company; for the latter company he was district manager in California and later manager of all stores in the midwest states. Brother Haight's adherence to his mother's teachings and his example in living the principles of his religion played an important part in his business promotion. When the president of Montgomery Ward called him to his office to tell him of his promotion, Elder Haight said, "I don't know if you want me to be the manager of that region. I don't know if you know that I came from a little Mormon town in Idaho, and my standards .are different from those of many people in this organization. My approach would be different from what has been done in the past." "I know," said the president. "That's why I am asking for you." In 1951 Brother Haight purchased the Palo Alto Hardware Company and is at present the president of its two stores. Elder Haight has been reminded often in his life of the promise in his patriarchal blessing that he will make friends for the Church outside the Church. He said he learned the hard way to "stand up and let people know who you are and what your standards are. If you do this, they will respect you for it." "Build into your life an area of service," he has said, "and when you marry, have an understanding as husband and wife that a big piece of your life is going to be devoted to service to the Lord and to your fellowmen. Build service into your thinking and your aims and desires, and then organize your time right. It will work if you want it to." Elder Haight talked of his reluctance to run for city council in Palo Alto. He was president of the stake and involved with the Boy Scouts, the Red Cross, and other civic activities. But he was aware of how rapidly the Church was growing in that area and what an opportunity from the Church standpoint this public service would be. So he accepted, and he later served as mayor for two terms. "I am glad I served," he recalls, "because of the good it did for the Church." Other civic affiliations have included activity in the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Stanford-Palo Alto Hospital, and Channing House Retirement Center. With his love of people, his involvement in Church and civic activity, and his desire to give service, David Haight brings to his new position great business ability, organizational power, and wide background experience in management. At the time of his call to be an Assistant to the Council of the Twelve, he was serving on the endowment fund committee of Brigham Young University. Remembering the philosophy of Edmund Burke that all that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing—Elder Haight said, "If good men are only going to worry about their own personal affairs and are not going to move out into the area of doing something of influence, then evil will carry on. If we can drop a little of the salt around, then this we need to do." Elder Haight's ideal of service extended to his country in its time of need. During World War II, as a commander in the U.S. Navy, he and 40 other reserve officers worked out a pattern for the flow of requests for supplies. He appeared before the vice-chief of naval operations and presented a logistic pattern of how the flow of materiel to support the fleet in the Pacific could be streamlined. His plan was accepted and put into effect. A navy historian later quoted Admiral Chester Nimitz as saying that the secret weapon in the Pacific campaign was the flow of materiel into that area. Elder Haight received a special citation from Admiral Nimitz for this service to his country. "This matter of service," said Brother Haight, "is demonstrated so well all over the Church. It is a joy and a blessing to be associated with the Church. As a family, and personally, we have received great blessings as a result of our Church responsibilities." |
Sister Ruby Haight
Elder David Haight
David and Angela Bowen Haight and their five children
Jon and Karen Haight Huntsman and their six children
Robert and Dorothy Hurst Haight and their two children
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"Elder David B. Haight Called to Be an Assistant to the Twelve." Relief Society Magazine. June 1970. pg. 407.
Elder David B. Haight Called to Be an Assistant to the Twelve Elder David B. Haight was sustained as an Assistant to the Twelve at the Solemn Assembly held at General Conference April 6, 1970. At the time of his call to be a General Authority, Elder Haight was serving as assistant to President Ernest L. Wilkinson at Brigham Young University, and had served as a member of the Church Priesthood Missionary Committee, and as a Regional Representative of the Twelve. From 1963-1966 he served as president of the Scottish Mission. Prior to that he served for twelve years as president of the Palo Alto Stake in California. Elder Haight has been active in civic affairs throughout his lifetime. He served as mayor of Palo Alto, president of the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Merchants Association, director of the Red Cross Peninsula Blood Bank, on hospital boards and Boy Scout area councils. His business activities have included executive positions with ZCMI in Salt Lake City, and with Montgomery Ward in Chicago. Since 1952 he has been president of a retail store organization in Palo Alto. Elder Haight was born in Oakley, Idaho, on September 2, 1906, a son of Hector C. and Clara Tuttle Haight. On September 4, 1930 he was married to Ruby Olson of Salt Lake City. They are the parents of two sons and a daughter, David B., Jr., Robert Peter, and Mrs. Karen Huntsman. |