Thomas S. Monson was born Aug. 21, 1927, in Salt Lake City, Utah, to G. Spencer and Gladys Condie Monson. He married Frances Johnson in the Salt Lake Temple on Oct. 7, 1948. They are parents of two sons, Thomas L. Monson and Clark S. Monson, and a daughter, Ann M. Dibb, and have eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
He was sustained to the Quorum of the Twelve on Oct. 4, 1963, and ordained an apostle on Oct. 10, 1963, at age 36. He was set apart as first counselor to President Gordon B. Hinckley on March 12, 1995. Also on that date, he was set apart as President of the Quorum of the Twelve. He previously was a counselor to President Ezra Taft Benson and President Howard W. Hunter.
Before being called to the Quorum of the Twelve, he was general manager of Deseret Press. He began employment with the Deseret News in 1948 as an advertising executive, and was chairman of the newspaper's board of directors for 19 years.
He was ordained a bishop at age 22 and served in the presidency of the Temple View Stake in Salt Lake City. He presided over the Canadian Mission from 1959-61.
He served in the U.S. Navy during the close of World War II.
He graduated cum laude from the University of Utah in business management, and received an MBA degree from BYU. He has received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from BYU, and honorary doctorate of business from the University of Utah, and an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Salt Lake Community College.
He is the longest-serving member of the Boy Scouts of America's National Executive Board.