Elder Stephen B. Oveson, a former member of the Second Quorum of the Seventy, died June 2, 2013, at his home in Provo, Utah. He was 76.
Sustained to the Second Quorum of the Seventy on April 3, 1999, at age 62, Elder Oveson served in that capacity until his release on Oct. 1, 2005.
Having grown up in a small farming community in Oregon, Elder Oveson learned at a young age the importance of hard work, always making it a part of his life.
"If he says he's going to do something, you can count on having it done," his wife, Dixie Oveson, is quoted as having said in a Church News article written at the time of his call.
As a Seventy, Elder Oveson had many different assignments. His first assignment came in August 1999 as first counselor in the Chile Area. In August of 2001, he became area president of the Chile Area until his assignment changed to be the second counselor in the North America Southwest Area in August of 2002. He also served as assistant executive director of the Audiovisual Department of the Church and as assistant executive director of the Priesthood Department until his release in 2005.
After his release from his calling as a Seventy, Elder Oveson served as the first president of the Newport Beach California Temple after President Gordon B. Hinckley dedicated it on Aug. 28, 2005.
Earlier in his life, Elder Oveson served as a missionary in the Northern Mexican Mission from 1956-59. After he returned home, he attended Brigham Young University, where he met his future wife, Dixie Randall. They were married on Sept. 7, 1960, in the Arizona Temple. They have six children.
Prior to his call to serve as a General Authority, Elder Oveson was president of Suite Thinking Inc., a hotel development and management company; was president of the hotel chain Granada Royale Hometels; worked as a commercial loan officer for Western American Mortgage and held various financial positions.
Elder Oveson was born on July 9, 1936, in Grass Valley, Ore., to Merrill M. and Mal Berg Oveson.
