The church has issued a statement noting that Marjorie Pay Hinckley, the wife of President Gordon B. Hinckley, passed away yesterday. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family. For a description of Sister Hinckley’s life, please see the church press release.
FYI all, I view this as a serious, solemn thread, and I won’t hesitate to delete any comments that are crude or mocking or otherwise inappropriate. (You can go post those on one of our many gay marriage threads).
FYI:
Last Fall at the General RS meeting, President Hinckley said that if one of them passed he hoped the other would pass quickly thereafter because he couldn’t bear to be without her.
I felt when President Hinckley made his comments about Marjorie and then quoted God Be With You, it was a goodbye. Selfishly, I’d hope he’d live another 20 years, but in reality he probably won’t be with us much longer. (The longer a couple has been married, the more likely they go together – statistically speaking.)
My heart goes out to the Hinckley family. They’ve been an inspiration to ours.
Rest in peace, Marjorie. Welcome home.
During conference, I was taken by how old and frail several of the Apostles appeared, and it occurred to me that there may very well be a bunch of room made in the Quorum of the 12 in short order. Clearly, sweet old Elder Haight has fought the good fight, and could easily return home at any time. I thought Elder Maxwell seemed particularly gaunt and frail looking, even though his mind appeared as sharp as ever.
When President Hinckley talked about his wife’s ill health at the end of his conference remark, I had the distinct impression that when she died, he would likely follow soon thereafter. I will miss Sister Hinckley, and both she and her husband have truly fought the good fight, for more years than my mind can understand. I hope he will remain with us for many seasons to come, but when the time comes, I will miss him terribly.
I agree, cooper. In fact, I said as much in my blog yesterday when I posted, “In some ways, I hope the stress does not take more years of President Hinckley’s life so he can stay with us longer. At the same time, there will always be a president of the Church, and at some point President and Sister Hinckley need to be together.”
In a conversation last night with a friend, we discussed how wonderful it has been to have President Hinckley with us. The Church will seem different when he is gone.
President Hinckley is the only prophet I have known as the president of the church. I have really come to love his talks and testimony. I haven’t had the opprotunity to see Sis Hinckley in similiar roles, but the emotion and joy in his expressions when he talked about his wife, show me how close they were.
I miss her now, and never even knew her.
I’m sure he will join her shortly and that saddens me. It really makes me to reflect on our own mortality and the importances in our lives.
RIP, Sister Hinckley.
She’ll be missed. I’ve always appreciated the great example they set as a couple. They had an equal marriage, he clearly loved and respected here, and their gentle playful ribbing cracked me up everytime. I think their marriage was a great example to the Church.
More News (sorry, but I can’t start a new message myself):
Philip Barlow will be speaking on Mormon Hermeneutics at Harvard Divinity School next Thursday, April 15th 5:15pm
Andover A, Andover Chapel, Harvard Divinity School (45 Francis Avenue).
Drop by if you are in the neighborhood.
I don’t know how many of you watched the special on his trip to Africa (where his wife fell sick) but even there he was basically telling people he would die soon. Indeed I noticed that as an undertone to all his comments all weekend.
It was sobering to note the signs of mortality on several of the apostles, and it is interesting to think that the Twelve might ordain a new member in the next year or two. The last time that happened was in 1995. Almost a decade! That’s got to be some kind of record, right?
QUORUM WATCHER
I am looking for the cute poem about Sister Hinkley going to heaven and wanting them to find her not perfectly groomed, but with peanut butter smudges and other signs of her service to others to proove that she really lived. I have a lesson on service next week and thought it would be perfect to share.