~Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin~

SALT LAKE CITY 2 December 2008

 Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, the oldest living apostle of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, died Monday night, age 91.

Elder Wirthlin had gone to bed at his Salt Lake City home, and died peacefully at about 11:30 pm of causes incident to age. His oldest daughter, Jane Wirthlin Parker, was present. A member of the family had been staying and caring for Elder Wirthlin, whose wife, Elisa Young Rogers Wirthlin, died in 2006. He was a father to their eight children.

He had continued to work at his office right up until the Thanksgiving holiday. Funeral services will be held at noon on Friday, December 5, at the Tabernacle on Temple Square.

~Elder Wirthlin played football 

for the University of Utah~

(He taught us a lesson of honesty from his football days-with just 2 inches to go he could have had the touchdown-...no one would notice if he moved the ball...but he thought of his mother & that she had taught him to be honest. He kept the ball 2 inches shy of that winning touchdown.)

~Reunited with his wife this Christmas!~

I loved Elder Wirthlin for his sharp mind and wit. You could tell in recent years his body was tired & striving hard to keep up with his mind. I will always remember him a year or two ago as he began shaking during a conference talk-almost uncontrollably. I began bawling as he never stopped talking for a second as if his message were more important than his body. Eventually someone came up to help hold him as he finished his words. 

This last talk he gave in October was one of my favorites as he spoke more stable & strong than I'd ever heard about making the best of our situations-whatever they may be. His talk was entitled: "Come What May, and Love It", a phrase he learned from his mother. He talked about how important our reaction to adversity really is. My favorite part was when he said "Laugh when you want to cry." (I feel that's been my motto this year.) He told a funny story of his 2 daughters. One being picked up by a blind date & one by a family she was babysitting for. Well the girl waiting for the date thought the Dad picking her up to babysit was her date. She thought "My he's old looking." They figured it out once they got in the car. She came back into the house so embarrassed but laughed away the moment with her family. 

He ended by saying, "As we look for the humor, seek for the eternal perspective, understand the principle of compensation, and draw near to our Heavenly Father, we CAN endure hardship and trial."

*Click here for a link to Elder Wirthlin's Biography