'Like a father' — President Kimball's kindness is recounted
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SAFFORD, ARIZ.
Loney and Joseph Greenhalgh of Safford, Ariz., gazed at their newborn son on Feb. 16, 1918, and felt to name him after President Heber J. Grant, whom they greatly admired. Besides being a beloved apostle of the Church at the time, he was also president of Beneficial Life Insurance Co. with which Joseph worked as an agent.
Nineteen years later, while serving a mission in Holland, Elder Grant Greenhalgh found himself touring Amsterdam with his namesake.
"We rode in a taxi," Brother Greenhalgh recalled. "President Grant paid for it. My companion and I went to the newspaper to let them know a prophet was coming. They gave us one column inch in the middle of the paper. How times have changed."
Brother Greenhalgh returned to The Gila Valley, where he had been reared prior to his mission, and followed in his father's footsteps to become a prominent businessman and Church leader.
Now, all these years later, he still resides there as a member of the Tucson Arizona Stake.
In 1926, when Grant was about 8 years old, his father, Joseph Greenhalgh, approached Spencer W. Kimball, then a bank clerk, about forming a partnership in a small insurance company. The Kimball-Greenhalgh agency was formed. They rented a room from the bank. There Brother Kimball managed the business while Bishop Greenhalgh found clients. At the end of the year, they split profits, if there were any, which was most years.
In 1941, Joseph developed cancer. Realizing his health wasn't good, he approached Brother Kimball about Grant becoming a partner in the business. Arrangements were made. Grant's salary was $80 a month. To supplement his income, he learned to fly airplanes at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix, where he became a civilian flight instructor for Naval cadets who were flying out of the new Safford airport.
From 5 a.m. until noon he taught flying. In the afternoons he kept the books for the agency and learned about real estate and insurance. He would eventually open the first title company in Graham County.
Of the relationship with Spencer W. Kimball, he says Brother Kimball was like a father to him and his wife, Lorraine. "He treated us as if we were his children, which at times included some very stern advice about what we should and should not do. He told us to be honest, be good and attend our meetings."
During the time Lorraine was expecting their first child, she called Grant to tell him there was a furnace malfunction and, overcome by fumes, she had fallen and was barely able to reach the phone. Brother Kimball followed him home and took charge, getting Lorraine out of the house and into the fresh air. When Grant told him he had reported the heater to the city to be repaired, but no one had come, Brother Spencer stopped by the city offices on his way back to work. That afternoon, the heater was fixed. It was Brother Kimball's ability to take charge and get things done that Brother Greenhalgh believes contributed to his call to be an apostle.
In 1941, heavy rains caused The Gila River to flood Duncan and Virden. Then a stake president, Brother Kimball didn't ask people to help but told them what to do. He told priesthood quorums from Safford to El Paso, "You are to report with shovels, brooms and garden hoses."
One fond memory Grant recalls about President Kimball has to do with a time when the stake leader responded to a call for relief materials by emptying the Bishop's Storehouse.
"I always figured Salt Lake was so shocked someone would do that they had to send someone to check on it," Brother Greenhalgh said.
President David O. McKay, than a counselor to President Grant, stayed with the Kimballs for a few days. He returned later for a subsequent stake conference. "It was almost unheard of to get one visit from a member of the First Presidency — and we got two. I always thought there was some quiet interviewing going on. After that, Spencer was called to be an apostle."
Another of Brother Greenhalgh's special memories is the rededication of the Mesa Arizona Temple in 1975. Then a counselor in the Mt. Graham Stake presidency, Brother Greenhalgh was in the celestial room with the First Presidency and other General Authorities during the dedication. President Kimball, recognizing Grant as he walked into the room, shook his hand.
That evening, the Greenhalghs felt honored to attend a banquet for the General Authorities, stake presidencies and wives.
"I don't believe I have ever been in a position where you could shake hands with so many General Authorities at one time," he said. "It was an experience I shall ever treasure."
After a life of rich associations and memories, there is one more memory Brother Greenhalgh eagerly anticipates. Next month, at age 92, he will attend the dedication of The Gila Valley Arizona Temple.
"We wondered if we would ever have one," he said with a smile of gratitude.
