Royden Glade Derrick (September 7, 1915 – December 7, 2009) was an American industrialist and general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1976 until his death. Derrick was born in Salt Lake City, Utah. He attended LDS Business College for a time and later registered at the University of Utah (U of U) in 1934. However, with his desire to serve as a missionary for the LDS Church, he quit school in the spring of 1936 to work full time in order to prepare for that opportunity. In 1945, he established the Western Steel Company, a

steel Steel is an alloy made up of iron with added carbon to improve its strength and fracture resistance compared to other forms of iron. Many other elements may be present or added. Stainless steels that are corrosion- and oxidation-resistant ty ...

manufacturing company in Utah that grew to be the largest steel fabricator between the Mississippi River and the west coast, and was later acquired by Joy Manufacturing in 1974. He later served on the U of U's

board of trustees A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...

and was also awarded an honorary doctorate by the school in 1965. In 1973, he was awarded the

Jesse Knight Jesse Knight (6 September 1845 — 14 March 1921) was an American mining magnate, one of relatively few Latter-day Saints in 19th century Western America to find major success in the field. After the death of his father Newel Knight, Jesse's f ...

Industrial Citizenship Award from Brigham Young University (BYU). From 1966 to 1971, Derrick was the second assistant to

David Lawrence McKay David Lawrence McKay (September 30, 1901 – October 27, 1993) was the eighth general superintendent of the Sunday School of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1966 to 1971. McKay was a member of the general superinten ...

in the general superintendency of the LDS Church's

Sunday School A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. Su ...

organization. From 1973 to 1976, Derrick was president of the church's England Leeds Mission, and from 1976 to 1977 he was president of the Ireland Dublin Mission. In 1976, when the church's

First Quorum of Seventy Seventy is a priesthood office in the Melchizedek priesthood of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Traditionally, a church member holding this priesthood office is a "traveling minister" and an "especial witness" of Jes ...

was reconstituted, Derrick became one of the original members. From 1980 to 1984, he was one of the seven presidents of the

seventy 70 (seventy) is the natural number following 69 and preceding 71. In mathematics 70 is: * a sphenic number because it factors as 3 distinct primes. * a Pell number. * the seventh pentagonal number. * the fourth tridecagonal number. * the fif ...

. Derrick served as a general authority until 1989, when he was designated as an

emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

general authority. From 1984 to 1987, while serving as a general authority, Derrick was president of the

Seattle Temple The Seattle Washington Temple (formerly the Seattle Temple) is the 21st constructed and 19th operating temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Located in the city of Bellevue, east of Seattle, it was the first to ...

. The

planetarium A planetarium ( planetariums or ''planetaria'') is a theatre built primarily for presenting educational and entertaining shows about astronomy and the night sky, or for training in celestial navigation. A dominant feature of most planetarium ...

at BYU's College of Physical & Mathematical Sciences is named the Royden G. Derrick Planetarium. Derrick died at his home in Salt Lake City of causes incident to age.

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External links

Grampa Bill's G.A. Pages: Royden G. Derrick

Royden G. Derrick Planetarium
{{DEFAULTSORT:Derrick, Royden G. 1915 births 2009 deaths Counselors in the General Presidency of the Sunday School (LDS Church) Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy (LDS Church) Mission presidents (LDS Church) Ensign College alumni American Mormon missionaries in England American Mormon missionaries in Ireland Religious leaders from Salt Lake City Presidents of the Seventy (LDS Church) Temple presidents and matrons (LDS Church) University of Utah alumni 20th-century Mormon missionaries American general authorities (LDS Church) Latter Day Saints from Utah American expatriates in the Republic of Ireland

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