Marvin J. Ashton
Encyclopedia
Marvin Jeremy Ashton was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1971 until his death.
Ashton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah
. He was the son of Marvin O. Ashton
, a prominent local leader of the LDS Church who later became a general authority
of the church. The younger Ashton worked in the lumber business as a youth. He graduated from the University of Utah
. He served a mission
in Great Britain
, where his mission president
was Hugh B. Brown
. He worked as managing director of LDS Social Services
.
Ashton served for a time as a member of the Utah State Senate
. He was also president of Deseret Book Company and involved in other business ventures including a lumber company.
From 1958 to 1969, Ashton was an assistant to the general superintendent of the church's Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. He served as assistants to superintendents Joseph T. Bentley
and G. Carlos Smith
.
Ashton was ordained an Apostle on December 2, 1971 after the death of Richard L. Evans
. Ashton was an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
between 1969 and his call to the Quorum of the Twelve.
Ashton died on February 25, 1994 and was succeeded by Robert D. Hales
.
Ashton was involved with the Boy Scouts of America
most of his life and earned Eagle Scout
as an adult in 1963. As an adult he was a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
(DESA), the Silver Beaver Award
and the Silver Antelope Award
.
Ashton and his wife, the former Norma Berntson, were the parents of four children.
Ashton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. He was the son of Marvin O. Ashton
Marvin O. Ashton
Marvin Owen Ashton was a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1938 until his death. Prior to becoming a general authority, Ashton was a prominent local leader of the LDS Church in Salt Lake City, Utah.Ashton was born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory to Mormon...
, a prominent local leader of the LDS Church who later became a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of the church. The younger Ashton worked in the lumber business as a youth. He graduated from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
. He served a mission
Mormon missionary
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, where his mission president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
was Hugh B. Brown
Hugh B. Brown
Hugh Brown Brown was an attorney, educator and author and a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
. He worked as managing director of LDS Social Services
LDS Family Services
LDS Family Services is a private nonprofit corporation owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It offers members of the church and others adoption services, marital and family counseling, addiction and drug dependency counseling, general psychotherapy, and counseling...
.
Ashton served for a time as a member of the Utah State Senate
Utah State Senate
The Utah State Senate is the upper house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The Senate is composed of 29 elected members representing an equal number of constituent senatorial districts. Each senatorial district is composed of approximately 91,000 people...
. He was also president of Deseret Book Company and involved in other business ventures including a lumber company.
From 1958 to 1969, Ashton was an assistant to the general superintendent of the church's Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association. He served as assistants to superintendents Joseph T. Bentley
Joseph T. Bentley
Joseph Taylor Bentley was the tenth general superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1958 to 1962....
and G. Carlos Smith
G. Carlos Smith
George Carlos Smith Jr. was the eleventh general superintendent of the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , serving from 1962 to 1969.-Biography:...
.
Ashton was ordained an Apostle on December 2, 1971 after the death of Richard L. Evans
Richard L. Evans
Richard Louis Evans was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , the president of Rotary International , and the writer, producer, and announcer of Music and the Spoken Word for forty-one years .He received a BA and MA from the University...
. Ashton was an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, commonly shortened to Assistant to the Twelve or Assistant to the Twelve Apostles, was a priesthood calling in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1941 and 1976...
between 1969 and his call to the Quorum of the Twelve.
Ashton died on February 25, 1994 and was succeeded by Robert D. Hales
Robert D. Hales
Robert Dean Hales is a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . Currently, he is the eighth most senior apostle among the ranks of the Church...
.
Ashton was involved with the Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America
The Boy Scouts of America is one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, with over 4.5 million youth members in its age-related divisions...
most of his life and earned Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
as an adult in 1963. As an adult he was a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
Distinguished Eagle Scout Award
The Distinguished Eagle Scout Award is a distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America . It is awarded to an Eagle Scout for distinguished service in his profession and to his community for a period of at least 25 years after attaining the level of Eagle Scout...
(DESA), the Silver Beaver Award
Silver Beaver Award
The Silver Beaver Award is the council-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered adult leaders who have made an impact on the lives of youth through service given to the council...
and the Silver Antelope Award
Silver Antelope Award
The Silver Antelope Award is the regional-level distinguished service award of the Boy Scouts of America and recognizes outstanding service to young people within one of the four regions of the BSA...
.
Ashton and his wife, the former Norma Berntson, were the parents of four children.