Among his associates, Howard W. Hunter is described as a man of sound Judgement and quiet wisdom. He rarely talks about himself and his accomplishments. His concern is for the accomplishments and feelings and comfort of others. His colleague Elder Neal A. Maxwell has said of him, "President Hunter is a meek man. He once refused a job because it meant another individual would have lost his job. This is the same lowly man, when I awakened after a weary and dusty day together with him on assignment in Egypt, who was quietly shining my shoes, a task he had hoped to complete unseen."Elder James E. Faust has said: "President Hunter is one of the most loving Christ-like men we have ever known. His spiritual depth is so profound as to be unfathomable. Having been under the guiding influence of the Lord Jesus Christ as His special witness for so many years, President Hunter's spirituality has been honed in a remarkable way. It is the wellspring of his whole being. He is quiet about sacred things. He has an inner peace, tranquility, and nobility of soul that is unique among the children of God. His intense suffering on so many occasions has been a 'refiner's fire,' permitting him to become God's pure vessel and prophet on this earth in this day and time." 

HOWARD W. HUNTER was born in Boise Idaho, November 14, 1907, the son of John William and Nellie Marie Rasmussen Hunter. He spent his youth in Idaho and moved to California in 1928. He was an Eagle Scout and for many years has been connected with scouting. After completing undergraduate requirements, he attended Southwestern University Law School in Los Angels and in 1939 graduated with a degree of Juris Doctor, cum laude. President Hunter married Clara May Jeffs in the Salt Lake Temple in 1931. She passed away in 1983. They are the parents of two living sons who live in California. President Hunter had 18 grand children. He married Inis Bernice Egan in April 1990 in the Salt Lake Temple.

President Hunter received his patriarchal blessing when he was twenty-two and he was told: "Thou art one of those whom the Lord foreknew…Thou shalt lend thy talents to the church and shall sit in their councils and thou shalt be known for wisdom and thy righteous judgements.

 He has served as bishop, president of the high priests quorum, stake high councilor, and president of the Pasadena, California Stake. While serving as stake president, he was chairman of the Southern California welfare region. He was chairman of the Los Angels Temple committee. He was called to the apostle-ship on October 10, 1959. He became acting President of the Quorum of the Twelve on June 2, 1988. Howard W. Hunter was ordained and set apart as the 14^th President of the Church on June 5, 1994.