Rex D. Pinegar
Encyclopedia
Rex Dee Pinegar has been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1972. He has twice served as a member of the church's seven-man Presidency of the Seventy.
Pinegar was born in Orem
, Utah
and was raised in Spanish Fork, Utah
. From 1950 to 1954, he served in the United States Navy
, primarily in the Pacific
.
After his military service, Pinegar returned to Spanish Fork and married Bonnie Lee Crabb in January 1955. They had six children.
Pinegar earned a bachelor's degree
from Brigham Young University
, a master's degree
from San Francisco State College, and an Ed.D. from the University of Southern California
. He joined the faculty of Brigham Young University in 1967 and eventually became the chairman of the Educational Psychology
department. During his time at BYU, Pinegar became a member of the general board of the LDS Church's Deseret Sunday School Union.
Inn 1971, Pinegar became the president
of the LDS Church's North Carolina
–Virginia
Mission
. Just one year later, in 1972, he became a member of the seven-man First Council of the Seventy. Pinegar held this position until the First Council of the Seventy was replaced by the Presidency of the Seventy in 1976; at this time Pinegar became an inaugural member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. From 1979 to 1985, Pinegar was the second counselor to Robert L. Backman
in the general presidency of the church's Young Men organization. From 1985 to 1989, he was the first counselor to Vaughn J Featherstone
in the same organization.
Pinegar was a member of the Presidency of the Seventy between 1989 and 1995, and from 1994 to 1995 he was the senior president of the seven-man presidency.
In 1999, Pinegar presided at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple
and the Reno Nevada Temple
of the church. In 2000, he presided at similar ceremonies for the Lubbock Texas Temple
and the Snowflake Arizona Temple
. In 2001, Pinegar was released from the First Quorum of the Seventy and became an emeritus
general authority. From 2002 to 2005, Pinegar was the president
of the church's Mt. Timpanogos Utah Temple.
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1972. He has twice served as a member of the church's seven-man Presidency of the Seventy.
Pinegar was born in Orem
Orem, Utah
Orem is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, in the north-central part of the state. It is adjacent to Provo, Lindon, and Vineyard and is about south of Salt Lake City. Orem is one of the principal cities of the Provo-Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Utah and...
, Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
and was 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...
. From 1950 to 1954, he served in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, primarily in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
.
After his military service, Pinegar returned to Spanish Fork and married Bonnie Lee Crabb in January 1955. They had six children.
Pinegar earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
from 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...
, a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
from San Francisco State College, and an Ed.D. from the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
. He joined the faculty of Brigham Young University in 1967 and eventually became the chairman of the Educational Psychology
Educational psychology
Educational psychology is the study of how humans learn in educational settings, the effectiveness of educational interventions, the psychology of teaching, and the social psychology of schools as organizations. Educational psychology is concerned with how students learn and develop, often focusing...
department. During his time at BYU, Pinegar became a member of the general board of the LDS Church's Deseret Sunday School Union.
Inn 1971, Pinegar became the president
Mission president
Mission president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . A mission president presides over a mission and the missionaries serving in the mission...
of the LDS Church's North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
–Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Mission
Mission (LDS Church)
A mission of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a geographical administrative area to which church missionaries are assigned. Almost all areas of the world are within the boundaries of an LDS Church mission, whether or not Mormon missionaries live or proselytize in the area...
. Just one year later, in 1972, he became a member of the seven-man First Council of the Seventy. Pinegar held this position until the First Council of the Seventy was replaced by the Presidency of the Seventy in 1976; at this time Pinegar became an inaugural member of the First Quorum of the Seventy. From 1979 to 1985, Pinegar was the second counselor to Robert L. Backman
Robert L. Backman
Robert LeGrand Backman was a Utah lawyer and politician and has been a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints since 1978....
in the general presidency of the church's Young Men organization. From 1985 to 1989, he was the first counselor to Vaughn J Featherstone
Vaughn J Featherstone
Vaughn J Featherstone is an emeritus general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . He has also been the president of the Logan Utah Temple in Logan, Utah....
in the same organization.
Pinegar was a member of the Presidency of the Seventy between 1989 and 1995, and from 1994 to 1995 he was the senior president of the seven-man presidency.
In 1999, Pinegar presided at the groundbreaking ceremonies for the Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple
Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple
The Oklahoma City Oklahoma Temple is the 95th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It serves 13 stakes in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, and Missouri....
and the Reno Nevada Temple
Reno Nevada Temple
The Reno Nevada Temple is the 81st operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The first temple in Nevada was built in Las Vegas in 1989. The Reno Nevada temple was dedicated in 2000. It serves over 25,000 Latter-day Saints in the area.The groundbreaking services were held...
of the church. In 2000, he presided at similar ceremonies for the Lubbock Texas Temple
Lubbock Texas Temple
The Lubbock Texas Temple is the 109th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.The Lubbock Texas Temple joins three other LDS temples in Texas in serving 220,000 members of the Church who live in the state. The Lubbock Temple serves western Texas and eastern New Mexico,...
and the Snowflake Arizona Temple
Snowflake Arizona Temple
The Snowflake Arizona Temple is the 108th operating temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.Mormon pioneers first settled Snowflake, Arizona in 1878 at the request of LDS Church President Brigham Young. The town of Snowflake was named after William J...
. In 2001, Pinegar was released from the First Quorum of the Seventy and became an emeritus
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
general authority. From 2002 to 2005, Pinegar was the president
Temple President
Temple president is a priesthood leadership position in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A temple president's primary responsibility is to supervise the affairs of an LDS temple in both an administrative and spiritual capacity....
of the church's Mt. Timpanogos Utah Temple.