Royden G. Derrick

Royden G. Derrick was a member of the First Quorum of Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1976 to 1989. He was sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy on Oct. 1, 1976, and served in the Presidency of the First Quorum of the Seventy from Oct. 5, 1980, to Oct. 6, 1984. He was named an emeritus general authority on Sept. 30, 1989.

Elder Derrick was born on September 7, 1915, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended Salt Lake City public schools, LDS Business College and later the University of Utah, where he studied engineering. He married Allie Jean Olsen of Monroe on May 28, 1938, in the Salt Lake Temple. Elder Derrick and his wife had four children; 18 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

Elder Derrick organized the Western Steel Co. in 1945. It expanded to become the largest steel fabricating industry in the western United States. Between 1959 and 1965, he served as chairman of the governing body of the University of Utah. He also served as chairman of the board of the Salt Lake Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco for several years and on many other business, civic and government boards.

He was instrumental in promoting the Partners of the Americas organization, which related the people of the United States with people of Latin America through self-help programs, and he served as chairman of its national board for several years. He was named an honorary citizen of La Paz, Mexico. Elder Derrick was recognized for his service through numerous local and national awards, including an honorary doctorate of humanities from the University of Utah. He received a Merit of Honor Award from the University of Utah Emeritus Alumni Association in May 1996.

Church Service

At the time of his call to be a general authority, Elder Derrick was serving as president of the Ireland Dublin Mission, having just completed service as mission president over the Northern England (Leeds) Mission.

On January 1, 1979, he was called as executive director of the Genealogical Department. In 1984, Elder Derrick was called as president of the Seattle Temple. He later served as a counselor in the North America Northeast Area presidency. Elder Derrick was a high-priest group leader in the Monument Park 2nd Ward from 1971 to 1973 and a member of the Monument Stake presidency from 1957 to 1966. He also served as a counselor in the Monument Park Ward bishopric from 1948 to 1954 and was a guide on Temple Square from 1954 to 1973. His other church service included being a member of the General Sunday School Presidency and high councilor.

Elder Derrick passed away on December 7, 2009, at his Salt Lake home of causes incident to age.