Janette Hales Beckham
Encyclopedia
Janette Callister Hales Beckham (commonly known as Janette C. Hales and Janette Hales Beckham) (born 7 June 1933) was the tenth general president of the Young Women Organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1992 to 1997. She was also a member of the Utah State Legislature
from 1988 to 1991.
and raised in Spanish Fork, Utah
. She attended Brigham Young University
on scholarship and graduated in 1969. While at BYU, she met her husband, Robert H. Hales. They were married in 1955 in the Salt Lake Temple
. The couple lived in San Antonio, Texas
, New York City
, and San Francisco and raised five children.
Robert H. Hales was an ophthalmologist. He wrote a book on the use of contact lenses. He was a professor of medicine at the University of Utah
and a professor of nursing at Brigham Young University
. Robert Hales died in March 1988 of cancer.
Shortly after her husband's death, Hales was appointed by Utah Governor Norman H. Bangerter
to fill a vacancy in the Utah House of Representatives
. In the November 1988 election, Hales was elected to the House as a Republican
. Hales served in the 48th Utah State Legislature. She decided not to run for re-election in 1990 and stepped down after one term in January 1991.
In March 1990, when Elaine L. Jack
was released as a counselor in the general presidency of the Young Women Organization of the LDS Church in order for her to become the new president of the Relief Society
, Young Women president Ardeth G. Kapp
selected Hales as her new counselor. Hales served in this capacity until 1992, when Kapp was released and Hales was selected as her successor.
During her tenure as general president of the Young Women, Hales was assisted by four counselors: Virginia H. Pearce
, Patricia P. Pinegar
, Bonnie D. Parkin
, and Carol B. Thomas. Pinegar went on to serve as the general president of the LDS Church's Primary and Parkin went on to serve as the general president of the Relief Society. Hales was released in 1997 and was succeeded by Margaret D. Nadauld
.
In 1995, while she was general president of the Young Women Organization, Hales married Raymond E. Beckham and changed her surname to Beckham.
Beckham was a member of the LDS Church's Olympic Coordinating Committee for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
from 1998 to 2002. In 2004, Beckham became a member of the Utah Valley State College
Board of Trustees, and in 2008 was serving as the chair of that board. She and her husband live in Provo, Utah
.
Utah State Legislature
The Utah State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. It is a bicameral body, comprising the Utah House of Representatives, with 75 Representatives, and the Utah Senate, with 29 State Senators...
from 1988 to 1991.
Biography
Janette Callister was born in Springville, UtahSpringville, Utah
Springville is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 20,424 at the 2000 census, while the 2008 estimates placed it at 28,520. Just minutes south of Provo, Springville is a bedroom community for...
and raised in Spanish Fork, Utah
Spanish Fork, Utah
Spanish Fork is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 31,497 as of the 2008 census estimate.-History:Spanish Fork was settled by LDS pioneers in 1851...
. She attended Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
on scholarship and graduated in 1969. While at BYU, she met her husband, Robert H. Hales. They were married in 1955 in the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
. The couple lived in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
, New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, and San Francisco and raised five children.
Robert H. Hales was an ophthalmologist. He wrote a book on the use of contact lenses. He was a professor of medicine at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and a professor of nursing at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. Robert Hales died in March 1988 of cancer.
Shortly after her husband's death, Hales was appointed by Utah Governor Norman H. Bangerter
Norman H. Bangerter
Norman Howard Bangerter was the 13th Governor of Utah from 1985 to 1993. He was the first Republican elected to the position since 1965.- Biography :...
to fill a vacancy in the Utah House of Representatives
Utah House of Representatives
The Utah House of Representatives is the lower house of the Utah State Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Utah. The House is composed of 75 representatives elected from single member constituent districts. Each district contains an average population of 35,000 people...
. In the November 1988 election, Hales was elected to the House as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
. Hales served in the 48th Utah State Legislature. She decided not to run for re-election in 1990 and stepped down after one term in January 1991.
In March 1990, when Elaine L. Jack
Elaine L. Jack
Elaine Low Jack was the twelfth general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1990 to 1997. She also served in the general presidency of the church's Young Women Organization between 1987 and 1990...
was released as a counselor in the general presidency of the Young Women Organization of the LDS Church in order for her to become the new president of the Relief Society
Relief Society
The Relief Society is a philanthropic and educational women's organization and an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . It was founded in 1842 in Nauvoo, Illinois, USA and has approximately 6 million members in over 170 countries and territories...
, Young Women president Ardeth G. Kapp
Ardeth G. Kapp
Ardeth Greene Kapp was the ninth general president of the Young Women Organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints between 1984 and 1992.-Biography:...
selected Hales as her new counselor. Hales served in this capacity until 1992, when Kapp was released and Hales was selected as her successor.
During her tenure as general president of the Young Women, Hales was assisted by four counselors: Virginia H. Pearce
Virginia H. Pearce
Virginia Hinckley Pearce is an author and was a member of the general presidency of the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1992 to 1997. Pearce is the daughter of Gordon B...
, Patricia P. Pinegar
Patricia P. Pinegar
Patricia Peterson Pinegar was the ninth general president of the Primary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1994 to 1999....
, Bonnie D. Parkin
Bonnie D. Parkin
Bonnie Dansie Parkin was the fourteenth general president of the Relief Society of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 2002 to 2007. Parkin was also a member of the general presidency of the church's Young Women organization from 1994 to 1997.Bonnie Dansie was raised in a...
, and Carol B. Thomas. Pinegar went on to serve as the general president of the LDS Church's Primary and Parkin went on to serve as the general president of the Relief Society. Hales was released in 1997 and was succeeded by Margaret D. Nadauld
Margaret D. Nadauld
Margaret Dyreng Nadauld was the eleventh general president of the Young Women organization of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from 1997 to 2002.-Biography:...
.
In 1995, while she was general president of the Young Women Organization, Hales married Raymond E. Beckham and changed her surname to Beckham.
Beckham was a member of the LDS Church's Olympic Coordinating Committee for the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
from 1998 to 2002. In 2004, Beckham became a member of the Utah Valley State College
Utah Valley State College
Utah Valley University or UVU, is a publicly funded university in located in Orem, Utah. With a current enrollment of 32,670 students as of 2011, Utah Valley University is now the largest public university in the State of Utah. UVU is a teaching institution which provides opportunity, promotes...
Board of Trustees, and in 2008 was serving as the chair of that board. She and her husband live in Provo, Utah
Provo, Utah
Provo is the third largest city in the U.S. state of Utah, located about south of Salt Lake City along the Wasatch Front. Provo is the county seat of Utah County and lies between the cities of Orem to the north and Springville to the south...
.