Ezra Taft Benson was an American farmer, government official, and religious leader. He served as the 15th United States Secretary of Agriculture during both presidential terms of Dwight D. Eisenhower and was the 13th president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1985 until his death in 1994.

On October 7, 1943, both Benson and Spencer W. Kimball became members of the church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, filling two vacancies created by the deaths of apostles that summer. Because Kimball was older, he was given seniority over Benson in the Quorum. Succession to the presidency of the church is by chronological order of ordination to apostleship, allowing Spencer W. Kimball to become president of the church years earlier than Benson. Upon Spencer W. Kimball's death in 1985, Benson became president of the church.