Bruce R. McConkie at a BYU football game.

Either 1978 or 79. Got to sit once in VIP section at Cougar stadium. Within 5 minutes of being there I felt kind of an eerie presence. In the row directly behind me was the most ghoulish looking man I had ever seen. I couldn’t help to continue looking at him until finally my date whispered in my ear to stop staring. She whispered its Elder McConkie. He had the most ghoulish pasty look in his face I’d ever seen.

Crew cut hair and sort of looked like a retired military guy. During the half time break, my date suspected that there was a high probability that Elder McConkie’s Thorazine drip was running a little thin that day. By the beginning of the 4th quarter I remember hearing him mumble something to one of his medical staff that he wanted something. I don’t even remember the game, but I do remember McConkie. Very strange man to say the least.

Anyone else have any memories of the top cult leaders?

I remember dallin oaks looking and speaking like an arrogant jerk. Never thought much of him, even when I was active.

I interviewed with Dallin Oaks to get a scholarship to the BYU Law School many many moons ago. He was an absolute arrogant jerk. He basically told me he had more worthy mormons he was going to give money to, but they would deign to admit me if I could pony up their outrageous tuition. I had a 4.0 GPA but no connections.

I wound up attending the University of Tennessee Law School and graduating second in my class. It was a world class education and financially feasible. I thank my lucky stars Oaks said no, but he sure was a jerk about it. I couldn't believe it when I heard they made him a GA.

My sister lived near his sister. My sister talked about how much mileage McConkie's sister tried to get out of being family to royalty.

even as a child growing up in the late 60's and early 70's, I remember this long faced man, with thick rimmed glasses. The voice..the voice was eery. Deep, droning, weird, with a self imposed wannabe intellectual character to it. He always had sort of a frankenstian manner about him. I believe his son, Joe McConkie is on the YBU channel, and whenever I see him I get the chills from yesteryear - not so much of fear, but as a kid, the sheer boredome of that drone...jeezus.

i remember david bednar was president of ricks college when i went there and he was an arrogant dick.

Yeah, the guy was a University President, but he couldn't offer his opinion on something, because thinking about that topic was the profit's responsibility.

I also remember meeting Edgely from the Presiding Bishopbric at BYU. Nice enough, but had a double lock used car salesman handshake that didn't let you go.

I recall many years ago, being an usher at the Marriott Center. Bruce R spoke at a 12 stake fireside. One of his topics was sabbath observance. He noted how his FIL (Joseph Fielding Smith) would not shop on Sundays or at stores that opened on Sunday.

After working that Sunday evening at the fireside, I realized I had nothing at home to eat, and was too tired to shop (oh, and it was Sunday), so I stopped at a local fast food place in Provo. I got my food and sat down to eat. In walked Brucie Poo, who also got something to eat and sat down close to me. I turned to Bruce and noted that it appeared that neither of us seemed to heed his inspired words. He informed me that he had been up since early that morning, was tired and needed something to eat. I smiled and told him, "me too". His looked could have burned holes in my skin. Hah!

I have posted before that when I was a child Bruce R. was appointed Mission President to one of the (then)2 Australian missions. He replaced a genuinely warm & avuncular man with a delightful wife. We lived in another state from the mission home & fortunately only saw McConkie at conference times.

He terrified me. His conference talks were always blood & thunder & berating the efforts of missionaries & members alike.I dreaded being forced to meet him & shake his hand,I still cringe at the fawning of people who thought his relationship with Joseph Fielding Smith made him somehow special.I have never met an individual as anaemic & acidulated as his wife.The only emotion she displayed was contempt for the membership.This came through loud & clear in her talks , The rest of the time she looked bored.I wondered even as a child how someone who was raised by a "prophet"& was married to someone who considered himself as good as could be so lacking in essential "niceness" & even manners.

I have done considerable work with abused women & can recognise now, that a lot of her behaviours are manifestations of at the least emotional abuse.

Hey, OzDoc...I lived in the Southern Australian Mission [Adelaide, S.A.] when McConkie was Mission President. Everyone seemed to know that he was there to 'purify his system' after the "Mormon Doctrine" shitstorm. He was indeed a judgmental, sour, impersonal man... and a blowhard! He often spoke for sixty to ninety minutes, expounding at length on his pet topics. Of course I was in the minority - the people who 'mattered' used to fawn over him and repeat his words right up until the next District Conference when he would descend on us again. Didn't miss him at all when he left!

Hey Apikoros we probably know each other!

My dad owned a couple condos at the Canyon Road Towers. McConkie lived there and one evening I was sitting in the hot tub and he came in the pool area, Swam a little and kicked back in the hot tub. I had a good conversation with him but nothing church related. I knew who he was but he was so laid back that night I didn't want to spoil it by bringing up the church.