Friday, January 9, 2009

Happy Birthday Eldred G. Smith--102 and counting



Just thought I'd observe that today (9 January 2009) marks the 102nd birthday of Eldred G. Smith, presiding patriarch emeritus of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A Salt Lake Tribune article shortly before his 100th birthday (Peggy Fletcher Stack, "Century Mark: Church leader with historic position nears 100th birthday," Salt Lake Tribune, 2006), indicated that he was still active, regularly going to his office.

In less than four months, he will have outlived Elder Joseph Anderson (1889-1992), the only other General Authority to have become a centenarian. One auxiliary leader, Ruth May Fox, president of the organization now known as the Young Women from 1929-1937, lived to be 104 (1853-1958).

He was called to his position on April 10, 1947, nearly 62 years ago.

Other well-known individuals who have lived to be over 100 (taken from a larger list at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_centenarians) include:

Rose Kennedy, 104 (1890-1995)
Grandma Moses, 101 (1860-1961)
Irving Berlin, 101 (1888-1989)
The Queen Mother, 101 (1900-2002)
George Burns, 100 (1896-1996)
Bob Hope, 100 (1903-2003)
Alf Landon, 100 (1887-1987)
Strom Thurmond, 100 (1902-2003)