W. Rolfe Kerr

William Rolfe Kerr (born June 29, 1935) is an emeritus general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He served previously as the fifteenth Commissioner of Church Education and as president of the Logan Utah Temple.

W. Rolfe Kerr
Emeritus General Authority
October 6, 2007 (2007-10-06)
First Quorum of the Seventy
April 5, 1997 (1997-04-05) – October 6, 2007 (2007-10-06)
End reasonGranted general authority emeritus status
Second Quorum of the Seventy
April 6, 1996 (1996-04-06) – April 5, 1997 (1997-04-05)
End reasonTransferred to First Quorum of the Seventy
Personal details
BornWilliam Rolfe Kerr
(1935-06-29) June 29, 1935
Tremonton, Utah, United States

Kerr was born in Tremonton, Utah, and grew up on a farm. He earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from Utah State University (USU), where he was also the quarterback on the football team.[1] intending to spend his life farming, until he was offered a position as coordinator of student activities at USU after his military service. He later received a master’s degree in marriage and family relations and a doctorate in education. He served an LDS Church mission in the British Mission. While at USU, Kerr played football and was the starting quarterback in 1958.[2]

Career

Kerr made his career in the field of learning, serving in administrative positions at USU, Weber State College and 0the University of Utah. From 1976-1980 he was president of Dixie State College of Utah.[3] Under his leadership Dixie State began a Cooperative Education work program. He also worked to increase ties and cooperation between the college and the surrounding community.[4] Kerr was executive vice president of BYU from 1980-1984.[5] Stephen R. Covey quoted Kerr's personal mission statement in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.[6] Kerr was serving as commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education when he was called as president of the church's Texas Dallas Mission in 1993. He had been in that position since 1985.[7]

LDS Church service

Kerr also served in the LDS Church as a stake president, bishop's counselor, high councilor, and on the Sunday School General Board. For two years in the 1960s, he was involved in helping organize the LDS Student Association. While still serving in Dallas, Kerr was called as a general authority and member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy on April 6, 1996, and was transferred to the First Quorum of the Seventy on April 5, 1997. As a general authority, he served in a number of area presidencies prior to being appointed as the commissioner of the Church Educational System in 2005. He was released from the First Quorum of the Seventy and granted emeritus status on October 6, 2007, but remained as CES Commissioner until being released on August 1, 2008, when he was succeeded by Paul V. Johnson.[8] He then served as president of the Logan Utah Temple from 2008 to 2011.

Personal life

Kerr met Janeil Raybold at USU and they were married 15 September 1960 in the Logan Temple and have six children.[9]


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See also

References
  1. Funk, Marianne (1988-05-22). "SOMEONE UP THERE MUST LIKE ROLFE KERR". Deseret News. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  2. Tad Walch, "How Lavell Edwards Changed His Mind about Mormon missions and Changed BYU's football culture", Deseret News, Jan. 5, 2017
  3. Lusk, Brittani. "Sederburg named Utah commissioner of higher education", Provo Herald, 8 July 2008. Retrieved on 6 March 2020.
  4. "Dixie State University|Past Presidents". president.dixie.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  5. Phares, Chad; Magazines, Church. "Elder W. Rolfe Kerr Appointed Commissioner of Church Education". www.churchofjesuschrist.org. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  6. Stephen R. Covey. The Seven Habits of Highligh Effective People. p. 107.
  7. listing of comissioners of the Utah higher education system
  8. "First Presidency Appoints New CES Commissioner". MormonTimes.com. Archived from the original on 2008-06-10. Retrieved 2008-06-09.
  9. Funk, Marianne. "Someone Up There Must Love Rolfe Kerr", Deseret News, 22 May 1988. Retrieved on 6 March 2020.
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