Born November 14, 1907, in Boise, Idaho, Howard William Hunter had a love for music in his youth. After high school, his band, 'Hunter's Croonaders,' toured for five months on the SS President Jackson, which gave him the opportunity to see many exotic sites in Asia.

Upon his marriage to Clara May Jeffs in 1931, he gave up his music career in favor of a stable family life. President Hunter began to study law and became a successful lawyer in California.

Various positions of priesthood leadership helped prepare him for his call to the apostleship in 1959. After 35 years as an Apostle, he became President of the Church on June 5, 1994, at age 86. During his short presidency, he challenged all members of the Church to become temple worthy, prior to a decade of increased temple building, and invited members who had become offended to come back to the Church. He traveled as often as his health would permit, dedicating two temples and commemorating the 150th anniversary of the martyrdom of Joseph and Hyrum Smith.

He died March 3, 1995, in Salt Lake City.