Delbert L. Stapley

Delbert Leon Stapley (December 11, 1896 – August 19, 1978) was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1950 to 1978.

Early life
Stapley was born in Mesa, Arizona Territory. As a youth, he rejected a chance at playing Major League Baseball so he could serve an LDS mission in the southern United States and because he didn't want to play on Sunday, the day Latter-day Saints observe as the Sabbath. Stapley remained physically active throughout his life, his favorite sport being golf.

Stapley was a missionary in the LDS Church's Southern States Mission from 1915 to 1917. After his mission, he was a U.S. marine in the First World War.

Quorum of the Twelve
Stapley had been stake president for three years before receiving a call to the apostleship on October 5, 1950. Stapley was also sustained as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve on October 5, 1950, at the church's October general conference, filling the vacancy caused by the death of George F. Richards. Stapley was notified of his new calling by church president George Albert Smith in the elevator bank of the Hotel Utah.

Views on civil rights
A letter sent by Stapley is illustrative of his perspective regarding black people of African descent, before they were more widely assimilated into the LDS Church. Dated January 23, 1964, and specifically stating he was not speaking for the church or in his position as an apostle, the letter urged Michigan Governor George W. Romney to back away from certain positions favoring civil rights, calling the bill that became the Civil Rights Act of 1964 "vicious legislation." Romney is reported to have accelerated his engagement in the civil rights cause shortly after receiving the letter.

Stapley's views changed with time and, from his hospital bed, he sustained the First Presidency's action on June 8, 1978, announcing that all worthy men would be permitted to receive the priesthood, regardless of race.

Death
Stapley delivered his last conference address in October 1977. The following April conference he was too ill to attend. Stapley died on August 19, 1978, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He suffered cardiac arrest at about noon while walking near his home.

At the time of his death, Stapley was the third apostle in line to the presidency of the church. His vacancy in the Quorum of the Twelve was filled by James E. Faust.