The Stake in the 1970s
Full History
1973
On January 21, 1973, under the direction of Spencer W. Kimball, a special conference was held to organize the new Tallahassee Stake. Jay Nichols Lybbert was called as stake president; Riley Malone Peddie as first counselor, and Corris L. Fordham as second counselor. It was a joyous occasion as the saints of the former Tallahassee District joined with members of Marianna Branch in the new stake.
The remainder of 1973 was filled with spiritual events for the new stake.
The first Tallahassee Stake Conference was held February 24-25, 1973, under the direction of E. Coleman Madsen, regional representative of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.
A special stake conference was held on May 12-13, 1973, under the direction of James E. Faust, Assistant to the Council of the Twelve Apostles—a great and sacred event spiritually elevating for those attending.
Regional Representative Keith Wilcox presided over a regional meeting on August 11, 1973, in which the new Washington Temple was discussed.
Stake Conference was held September 8-9, 1973, under the direction of President Lybbert. It was a special occasion for all who attended.
Another special stake conference occurred on November 24-25, 1973, with Elder Bruce R. McConkie presiding over a substantial congregation of 1280.
A final key event in 1973 was on December 9—a young adult fireside program at which football superstar Dale McCullers spoke.
1974
In 1974, Stake President Jay N. Lybbert presided over the year’s first stake conference on February 23-24.
“Meet the Mormons” week was sponsored by the Tallahassee Stake in March. Latter-day Saint dignitaries traveled from all over the country to share their various talents with the community in this special missionary effort
On May 1,1974, the “Lamonite Generation,” a group of Native American students from BYU performed at the Tallahassee chapel to a capacity crowd of members and community guests.
Stake conference was held May 11-12, 1974, in the Tallahassee chapel. Joseph Anderson, Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve, presided at this momentous occasion.
Over 800 youth attended a regional youth conference held August 9-11, 1974, in Tallahassee using Florida State University dormitory facilities. The well-run event was considered a great success.
On Sept 7-8, 1974, stake conference was held under the direction of President Jay N. Lybbert.
Members of the stake traveled to Washington, DC, on November 19, 1974, to sing at the initial dedication ceremony of the Washington Temple.
That same day, in an interview with Skip Evelo, Rich Chapple (stake executive secretary at the time) recalled the Washington Temple dedication as a supernal experience. He said he knew the choir had angelic support swelling its volume.
Elder L. Tom Perry, Council of the Twelve Apostles, visited the area to preside over stake conference on November 23-24, 1974. It was the most well-attended stake conference to that point.
1975
A Young Adult fireside program was held in Tallahassee on January 1, 1975, and on January 19, Tallahassee Ward Conference took place. Elder Howard Badger, Regional Representative of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, presided over a regional meeting at the Tallahassee stake center on January 25, 1975.
On February 2, 1975, the Tallahassee Student Branch conference took place. Tallahassee Florida Stake conference was held February 22-23; Elder J. Thomas Fyans was the visiting general authority, accompanied by his wife, Helen.
Th Chiefland Branch conference occurred on March 2, 1975. On March 13, the Leon County (Tallahassee) Genealogical Society was organized, and Stake President J.N. Lybbert was installed as its president.
A regional Young Adult Rally and Young Adult Weekend were held in Tallahassee March 28-29. A presentation of “Trial of the Stick of Joseph” took place both nights, enjoyed by many young adults.
On April 13, 1975, an open house was held to celebrate the new Marianna Ward chapel. A few days later in Tallahassee, on April 19, a missionary effort was sponsored by the Institute of Religion—appropriately named the “Institute Road Rally.”
The Tallahassee Florida Stake conference was held May 10-11 in Tallahassee. Stake President J.N. Lybbert presided, and 1197 (40% of the stake membership) attended. Two sessions were held on Sunday—one in Tallahassee and one in Marianna—since the stake boundaries were extensive and included two time zones.
The Young Ambassadors, a BYU singing group, entertained members and friends in the Tallahassee area on May 28, 1975.
In July, a Stake Youth Conference was held at Troy State University in Troy, Alabama. In conjunction with the youth conference, a regional meeting was held at which Elder Howard Badger, regional representative, presided.
On September 6-7—Tallahassee Florida Stake conference was held, with Elder Howard Badger, regional representative, presiding. 1300 (41% of the stake membership) attended the general session.
In October, an open house was held in the new Madison Branch chapel. On October 10-11, the Tallahassee Stake sponsored an outing to Disney World in Orlando.
The Tallahassee Florida Stake conference took place November 14-16, 1975, with Elder Delbert L. Stapely of the Council of the Twelve Apostles presiding. Elder Howard Badger, regional representative, accompanied him. At this conference the Tallahassee Florida Stake, Dothan District, and Georgia District were reorganized into the Tallahassee Florida Stake and the Marianna Florida Stake.
Throughout 1975, “cultural evenings” were held by various units in the stake. These were variety shows presented at different times of the year to promote missionary effort. Sponsored by the stake, each of these events had enthusiastic unit participation.
1976
The Tallahassee Florida Stake conference was held February 21-22, presided over by Elder W. Grant Bangerter, Assistant to the Twelve Apostles.
A Tallahassee Regional Preparation meeting took place June 19. Regional Representative Howard Badger presided, and J.N. Lybbert, president of Tallahassee Florida Stake, conducted.
The Tallahassee Florida Stake conference was held September 11-12, presided over by Howard Badger, regional representative, and conducted by J.N. Lybbert, stake president.
1977
On April 6, Elder Robert N. Brady, Regional Representative of the Twelve, presided over a regional meeting of the Tallahassee Florida and Marianna Florida stakes. President Jay N. Lybbert announced his call as a regional representative of the Twelve.
President Brady and Bishop Vandenberg were present at the Tallahassee Florida Stake conference May 14-15, 1977.
Elder Rex Pinegar was the visiting authority at the June regional meetings held June 18-19, 1977. Sister Alice C. Smith of the Relief Society General Board also attended the regional meeting.
1978
During 1978, Tallahassee Stake conferences were held May 13-14, September 9-10, and December 2-3. During the December stake conference, Pres. Richard L. Chapple dedicated the Perry Branch chapel.
Mid-April was busy, with the stake Gold and Green Ball on 4/15 and a Young Adult “Rally at Tally” held 4/13-4/15—attended by around120 young adults from Alabama, Georgia, and Florida.
A stake father-and-son Priesthood Commemoration Campout took place May 19-20.
In August, over 100 youths and 14 adults from the stake went on a temple trip to Washington DC, where they performed baptisms. The group also visited Nauvoo, Illinois, and Kirtland, Ohio.
A stake hayride and barn dance was held in Quincy on October 14. Soon after, on October 23, the stake was honored by a visit from Barbara Smith, Relief Society general president.
1979
On January 27, an all-day conference for couples was conducted by experts in family and marriage counseling, finance, child rearing, and spiritual development.
A special event occurred February 24-25: Elder M. Russell Ballard of the First Quorum of the Seventy came to Tallahassee to preside over stake conference. Also on February 25, the Cairo Branch was organized under the direction of the stake presidency. That same weekend, on February 23-24, the stake youth and chaperones participated in an activity-filled Mini-Youth Conference that culminated in a brief talk given Saturday night by Elder Ballard.
An increasingly popular traveling music group from Salt Lake City Institute of Religion, “A New Day,” performed at the Ruby Diamond Auditorium on March 22. Sixteen singers and dancers and a five-piece band delighted local audiences of Church members and friends.
At a joint sacrament meeting of the Tallahassee First and Second Wards on April 15, the membership approved redrawing the two wards’ boundaries to allow the creation of the Crawfordville Branch. Also announced at the meeting was that approval had been granted to create the Monticello Branch whose membership would come from the Second Ward and the Madison Branch.
Stake temple excursions occurred during March and September. From March 18-24, several hundred ordinances were accomplished at the Washington DC temple. A second trip took place in September, during which hundreds of endowments, sealings, and initiatory ordinances took place.
In honor of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood, a stake father-and-son outing took place May 18-19 at the 4-H Club Camp on Cherry Lake near Madison.
Led by Pres. Charles Madsen of the stake presidency, 35 stake young people and 10 adult chaperones traveled to Washington DC to do proxy baptisms from July 22-26.
Renowned baritone and Broadway performer Robert Peterson appeared in concert at the Tallahassee stake center on August 29. This missionary opportunity allowed many to hear a musical star critics hailed as having “the finest baritone voice on the modern musical scene.”
Stake conference was held Saturday and Sunday, September 8-9, presided over by Elder Jay Lybbert, area regional representative. Elder Morris Poole (Regional Welfare Services Agent) and Elder Glenn Rudd (Church Welfare Services Zone Advisor) presented messages on the welfare program of the Church, which was the principal message of the conference.
The Tallahassee Stake Girls’ Camp was held October 19-21 at Camp Piney Woods in Thomasville, Georgia.
In The News
February 25-26—Stake conference
General Authority: Spencer H. Osborn, member of First Quorum of the Seventy
Evening of February 26—Dedication of 2nd and 3rd Ward building on Thomasville Road by Spencer H. Osborn
March 1—Skip Evelo called as assistant stake historian
March 6—High Priest social at stake center. Brother Tommie Wright in charge of entertainment.
March 15—Elder Ray J. Robinson of the Madison Branch called to the Utah South Mission
March 15—Charley Bowen called as bishop of Tallahassee 3rd Ward
Joe Torgeson: 1st counselor
Curtis Austin: 2nd counselor
Ernie Bone: Melchizedek Priesthood group leader
March 17—Gold and Green Ball; Sylvia Caruthers, activity committee
March 17—Elder Richard L. Chapple, former bishop of Tallahassee 3rd Ward, called to be the new regional representative.
March 17—Ordinations to the Melchizedek Priesthood: Leonard Lee Berry, Tallahassee 4th Ward; and Chris Hall, Thomasville Branch
April 1-2—General Conference; April 1, Priesthood Conference
April—David Salisbury called as bishop of Tallahassee 1st Ward
Jack Hall called as counselor to Stake Presidency, change to take place on Father’s Day
June—Maureen Webb called as director of stake bookstore (proceeds to support full-time missionaries from Tallahassee stake)
July 19—Diane Meresse sustained and set apart as Stake Relief Society president
Rene Roche Anderson: education counselor
Rosalinda Wright: homemaking counselor
Suzanne Meik: secretary
June 25—Branch President Stanley J. Webb released. New Branch President Henry Bruce Covington, set apart by President Paul Nicholson; William Edmond White 1st Counselor; Joseph Wayne Kirksey 2nd Counselor.
July 19—Diane Meresse sustained and set apart as Stake Relief Society President; Rene Roche Anderson sustained as Education Counselor; Rosalinda Wright sustained as Homemaking Counselor; Suzanne Meik sustained as Secretary.
August 6—Crawfordville new branch presidency: Branch President Charley Downer, set apart by President Nicholson; 1st Counselor Tony Kodra set apart by Pres. Anderson; 2nd Counselor Wallace Allen set apart by Pres. Hall; Executive Secretary Bud Smith set apart by Pres. Hall.
September 16-17—Tallahassee Florida Stake conference
September 30-October 1—General Conference (and Priesthood Conference 9/30)
October 15—Crawfordville Branch Clerk Robert L. Williamson set apart by Joe Durrance
November 1—Laura Atchley sustained as 2nd counselor in the Stake Primary presidency
December 7—Finance meeting with unit bishops and clerks. Pres. Nicholson explained the new budget allowance procedures for local units.
