Sister Kathleen Johnson Eyring, who was married to President Henry B. Eyring and served as the wife of the second counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, passed away at the age of 82.
On Sunday, October 15, 2023, Kathleen Eyring died at her residence in Bountiful, Utah, with her family by her side.
Officials of the Church mentioned that Kathleen is “remembered by family and friends as an outgoing and fun-loving young woman who, as captain of her high school tennis team, student body president, and valedictorian, excelled in both sports and academics.
In this article, let’s get to know about President Eyring’s late wife and about their relationship.
Inside President Henry B. Eyring And His Wife Kathleen Johnson’s Relationship
Henry B. Eyring and his wife, Kathleen Johnson, first met at a YSA (Young Single Adult) gathering in Rindge, New Hampshire, at the Cathedral of the Pines in the spring of 1960.
They got to know each other better at another meeting that took place the following summer at the LDS Longfellow Park Chapel in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Kathleen, originally from Palo Alto, was a student at Stanford University.
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Kathleen had also spent summers studying at the University of Vienna and the University of Paris, and at the time, she was pursuing her studies at Harvard University when she crossed paths with Henry.
Their courtship began that summer and intensified quickly. Kathleen made several cross-country airplane trips to be with Henry. Their engagement took place early in 1961, and they sealed their commitment by getting married in the Logan Temple of the LDS Church on July 27, 1962.
The ceremony was officiated by Henry’s uncle, Spencer W. Kimball. Kathleen and Henry enjoyed a loving marriage that lasted for 61 years until Kathleen’s passing on October 15, 2023, at the age of 82.
The couple had six children, consisting of four sons and two daughters.
Notably, their sons include Henry J. Eyring, who served as the president of BYU–Idaho from 2017 to 2023, and Matthew J. Eyring, who holds the position of Chief Strategy Innovation Officer at Vivint, a prominent home automation company in North America.
More About Kathleen Johnson Eyring
Kathleen was actively involved in her church, fulfilling various official roles like teaching, visiting others, and creating a congregation newsletter. However, she is also well-remembered for her impactful support in more subtle, informal ways.
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Kathleen possessed a remarkable talent for writing and provided valuable advice to her husband in his church work. She even took on the role of documenting important information during monthly meetings with other wives of prominent church leaders.
She also helped to preserve family memories, crafting scripts for family gatherings, and collaborating on a monthly family newsletter. In addition to these, she wrote a book for young adults, earning recognition and winning a statewide award for her work in young adult literature in 1979.