President Boyd K. Packer, who served as acting president of the Council of the Twelve during President Howard W. Hunter's tenure as Church president, said when he received the news that the prophet had died, a thought came to his mind: "Well, he endured to the very end."

A hint of President Hunter's good nature and sense of humor was reflected as President Packer spoke of the prophet's physical afflictions and of his determination to keep going. President Packer said: "When President Hunter was unable to walk or even stand, arrangements were made for him to speak in general conference from a sitting position. He quipped to the congregation, `You seem to enjoy conference so much sitting down, I thought I would do the same.' "President Packer said that after many months of agonizing therapy, President Hunter was able to stand at the pulpit and speak, but on one occasion he lost his balance and fell over backward. "We helped him up," President Packer said. "He matter-of-factly continued his speech without missing a word. There was but a moment's interruption. The television audience did not even know he had fallen. He had broken three ribs in that fall."

President Packer, after having spoken of the Lord's plan for the senior apostle to become president of the Church, declared, "No man comes to be president of this Church except he has been apprenticed for a lifetime.

"The administration of President Howard W. Hunter, though very brief, has been a historic one. Things have transpired during those few months of his leadership, some of them as yet unannounced, which will bless this Church for generations to come."

President Packer spoke of the tender feelings President Hunter had for his wife, Inis. He said he and Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Council of the Twelve visited President Hunter three days before his death. As they each took him by a hand and talked with him, President Hunter kept looking over his shoulder and then called to his wife.

"Ever present and ever attentive, she responded immediately, and asked what he needed. He said, `You were too far away; I want you close to me.' I said, `President, she was only 30 feet away.' He said, `I know; that's too far.' "

President Packer read 1 Ne. 13:37, which promises that those who "endure to the end . . . shall be lifted up at the last day, and shall be saved in the everlasting kingdom of the Lamb."

"Surely," President Packer said, "President Hunter endured to the end."