Funeral Set in Salt Lake City as Thousands to Attend for Russell M. Nelson
Russell M. Nelson, who died at his Salt Lake City home at age 101, will be memorialized in a worship‑style funeral service Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, at the Conference Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City, where thousands are expected after roughly 20,000 tickets were claimed online within 20 minutes and a public viewing drew about 18,560 people. About 600 family members are expected to attend; the Tabernacle Choir will perform (including Nelson’s hymn "Our Prayer to Thee"), his body will be dressed in white temple clothing with a private burial at Pioneer Cemetery, and Dallin H. Oaks is expected to be announced as the church’s next president following the funeral.
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📌 Key Facts
- Russell M. Nelson died at age 101 at his home in Salt Lake City on Sept. 28, 2025; the church announced his death (spokesperson Candice Madsen) and reports say he died after 10 p.m. local time.
- Nelson had served in top church leadership since 1984 and as president since January 2018; his tenure included major initiatives such as the 2018 name‑usage guidance, repeal of the 2015 policy restricting baptism for some children of gay parents, and creation of a new youth program after the church disassociated from the Boy Scouts.
- Before and alongside his church leadership, Nelson was an internationally recognized heart surgeon who helped develop an artificial heart and lung machine.
- His leadership drew scrutiny over the church's handling of sexual‑abuse reports, as reported in an Associated Press investigation.
- Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025, at the Conference Center on Temple Square in Salt Lake City; the service will be a worship‑style commemoration (no temple rituals), his body will be dressed in white temple clothing, and burial will be private at Pioneer Cemetery.
- Attendance details: about 20,000 tickets for the service were claimed online within 20 minutes, roughly 600 family members are expected to attend, and a public viewing the day before drew about 18,560 people (per church spokesperson Doug Andersen).
- Dallin H. Oaks, 93 and the longest‑tenured member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, is expected under established succession rules to become the next president; the church is likely to formally announce the new president after Nelson’s funeral.
- The church (about 17 million members worldwide) held its Oct. 4, 2025 general conference without a sitting president for the first time in at least a century; the conference was emotional — leaders, including Oaks, spoke about grief and urged responses to social trends, and several speakers directly referenced the recent deadly attack on a congregation in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan, which heightened the mournful tenor.
📚 Contextual Background
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reported that it has nearly 47,000 members in Michigan and almost 7 million members in the United States.
📰 Sources (7)
Thousands of mourners expected to attend Mormon church president's funeral
New information:
- Funeral service scheduled Tuesday in Salt Lake City at the Conference Center at Temple Square.
- Approximately 20,000 tickets for the service were claimed online within 20 minutes; about 600 family members expected to attend.
- A public viewing Monday drew about 18,560 people, per church spokesperson Doug Andersen.
- Funeral will be conducted as a worship‑style commemoration (no formal temple rituals); Nelson's body to be dressed in white temple clothing and burial to be private at Pioneer Cemetery.
- The Tabernacle Choir will perform, including a hymn written by Nelson, 'Our Prayer to Thee.'
Dallin H. Oaks Addresses Latter-day Saints General Conference
New information:
- Dallin H. Oaks delivered the final address on Sunday and explicitly urged members to resist national trends of declining marriage and birth rates.
- Elder Gary E. Stevenson directly referenced the recent Grand Blanc, Michigan church attack from the pulpit and was quoted saying, 'Our hearts are mourning loss.'
- Describes emotional tenor at conference: multiple top leaders and speakers 'welled up with tears' and urged peacemaking amid an atmosphere of violence.
Latter-day Saints hold first general conference without a president in at least a century
New information:
- The church convened its twice‑annual general conference on Oct. 4, 2025 without a sitting president — the first such conference in at least a century.
- Russell M. Nelson's funeral is scheduled for the Tuesday after the conference, with Dallin H. Oaks expected to be announced as the next president thereafter.
- The piece explicitly ties the conference to the recent deadly attack on a congregation in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan (four killed), noting its emotional impact on attendees.
- Provides operational details and context: location (Salt Lake City), church membership (~17 million worldwide), and ages (Oaks 93; Nelson 101).
Former judge is likely the next leader of the Mormon church and its 17 million members
New information:
- Dallin H. Oaks — 93 and the longest‑tenured member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles — is expected to become the next president of the Church.
- The article states the formal announcement of the new president will likely come after President Nelson's funeral on Oct. 7, 2025.
- Provides a direct quote from Oaks addressing the recent Michigan church attack and paying tribute to Nelson.
Russell M. Nelson, oldest president of the LDS Church, dies at age 101
New information:
- Article specifies time: reports Nelson died at his Salt Lake City home after 10 p.m. local time.
- Provides family counts: lists 10 children, 57 grandchildren and more than 160 great‑grandchildren.
- Notes professional contribution: describes Nelson as an internationally recognized heart surgeon who helped develop an artificial heart and lung machine.
- Includes multiple named reactions/quotes from U.S. political figures (Sen. Mike Lee, Rep. John Curtis, Mitt Romney) and public commentators.
Russell M. Nelson, oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies at 101
New information:
- Church spokesperson Candice Madsen said Nelson died at his home in Salt Lake City on Saturday night.
- Article explicitly notes Nelson became the first president of the faith to reach 100 years in 2024 and that Dallin H. Oaks is expected to be the next president per church protocol.
- Includes a direct tribute quote from Sen. Mike Lee and recounts key institutional changes during Nelson’s tenure (2018 name‑usage initiative; repeal of the 2015 baptism ban policy; youth program replacing Boy Scouts).
- Summarizes scrutiny during his tenure over handling of sexual‑abuse reports, citing an Associated Press investigation.
Russell M. Nelson, oldest-ever president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, dies
New information:
- Russell M. Nelson died at age 101 at his home in Salt Lake City; announcement made Sept. 28, 2025 by church spokesperson Candice Madsen.
- Dallin H. Oaks is expected to become the next president under established Quorum of the Twelve Apostles succession rules.
- Nelson served in top church leadership since 1984, became president in January 2018, and led policy shifts including name‑usage guidance, changes to baptism policies for children of gay parents, and a new church youth program after disassociating from the Boy Scouts.