President Dallin H. Oaks, the 18th president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is a loving, caring husband, father and grandfather who loves to laugh and is fully present, family members say.
“He taught all of us that you can always do more with the Lord’s help than you can without it, and that we needed to rely on the Lord, and that we could go to him for any kind of problem we were having ... because he loved us,” said daughter Sharmon Oaks Ward.
“I think that was one of the greatest blessings that he gave to me as a child — to know that my Heavenly Father loved me and my earthly parents loved me."
The Oaks family at President Dallin H. Oaks' 90th birthday. | Oaks Family Photo
Dallin Harris Oaks was born in Provo, Utah, on Aug. 12, 1932, the oldest of three children of Dr. Lloyd E. Oaks and Stella Harris Oaks.
President Oaks married June Dixon Oaks, on June 24, 1952, in the Salt Lake Temple. They are the parents of six children. She died July 21, 1998, of cancer.
President Oaks married Kristen McMain Oaks on Aug. 25, 2000, in the Salt Lake Temple.
The Oaks have 29 grandchildren, 73 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
President Dallin H. Oaks with his granddaughter, Tiffany Bratt, at his 90th birthday party. | Oaks family photo
President Oaks “has always helped our family focus on the Lord, and he brings every conversation back to improving our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ,” said granddaughter Tiffany Oaks Bratt. “It’s just so special and uplifting to be around him.”
Family members say they enjoy camping, hiking and fishing together — especially at Joe’s Valley, Utah.
President Dallin H. Oaks and his grandson, Trent Boulter, relax in cowboy hats at a family reunion in Antimony, Utah, in August 2007. | Provided by Oaks family
President Oaks, 93, succeeds President Russell M. Nelson, who died Sept. 27, 2025.
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“I accept with humility the responsibility that God has placed upon me and commit my whole heart and soul to the service to which I’ve been called,” President Oaks said.
Daughter TruAnn Boulter said her father “is a loving, friendly and caring person. He always reaches out with such love and compassion. He truly loves people, and I hope the church membership and people in general get to see that side of him.”
President Dallin H. Oaks hosts great-grandchildren in his office at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City, Utah. | Provided by Oaks family
Grandson Trent Boulter agrees: “I am so excited for the membership of the church and for the world to get to know a different side of my grandfather.”
Following is a photo gallery of a select photographs from the Oaks family photo album:
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, relax together on a beach while spending time with family. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks with his son Dallin D. Oaks, who is holding his grandson and President Oaks’ great-grandson, Dallin Derrick Oaks. | Oaks Family Photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with the Boulter family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks with their grandson, Chris. | Oaks family photo
After he was honored at a BYU football game with a signed helmet, President Dallin H. Oaks gave it to his grandson, Trent Boulter, knowing he was a devoted BYU fan, in 2016. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks holds sleeping baby James Boulter at his baby blessing in December 2014. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, enjoy a hike with great-grandchildren at Heber Valley Camp in Heber, Utah, on July 14, 2017. | Provided by Oaks family
The family of President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, enjoys a camping trip. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks teaches his great-grandchildren how to hold to the iron rod. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks hosts family members in his office at the Church Administration Building in Salt Lake City, Utah. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks joins with grandchildren for a birthday party. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, gather with family for dinner. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks coaches a great-grandson while fishing. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks fishing with family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks on a fishing trip. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, join with family members for a dinner gathering. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, are pictured with their family at Christmas time. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks poses for a photo with his granddaughter, Tiffany Oaks Bratt, and great-grandson, Maxwell Bratt, after she participated in BYU Law School graduation in the spring of 2009. | Provided by Tiffany Bratt
President Dallin H. Oaks poses for a photo with family members at this 90th birthday on Aug. 12, 2022. | Provided by Oaks family
President Dallin H. Oaks visits the zoo with family members. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with his granddaughter, Tiffany Bratt, after her sealing in the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks sit with grandson Ben Oaks and his daughter, Sophia Oaks. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks’ daughter, Jenny Oaks Baker, plays the violin for her parents, President Oaks and his late wife, Sister June Dixon Oaks. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks sits with his great-granddaughter, Kaitlyn Ward. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with his great-grandson Rhett during a family trip to the zoo. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks joins his granddaughter, Julianna Recksiek, for her graduation. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks with granddaughter Julianna Recksiek and her family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks pause for a photo with family during a trip to the zoo. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks joins his great-grandson, Jackson Bratt, for his baptism. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks pause for a photo with three of their great-granddaughters. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with his great-grandson, Maxwell, on a family camping trip. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks joins his great-granddaughter, Camryn Emily Bratt, for her baptism. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks with three of their great-granddaughters. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks sits with his grandson, Chris. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, pause for a photo with family during a family cruise. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen Oaks, are joined by family members for a dinner gathering. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, at an Oaks family retreat. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with his grandson, Scott Ringger, at his 90th birthday party. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks pauses for a photo at Joe’s Valley, Utah, with his grandson, Chris, and his son in arms. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks join daughter Jenny Oaks Baker for a temple trip with family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks at a train station with grandson Nathan Oaks during his mission. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with his second-great-grandson at a family gathering. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks on a walk. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks with daughter Jenny Oaks Baker, front right, and her family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks, gather with family for dinner. | Oaks family photo
The Oaks family during a family trip. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks sits with his wife, Sister Kristen M. Oaks; his daughter, Jenny Oaks Baker; and the Baker family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks walk down a street in Switzerland with granddaughter Julianna Recksiek and her family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks and Sister Kristen M. Oaks with granddaughter Stefani Steelman and her family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with his late wife, Sister June Dixon Oaks, center right, and family. | Oaks family photo
President Dallin H. Oaks with extended Darger family at Joe’s Valley, Utah. | Oaks family photo
Sister Kristen M. Oaks with Liz Darger during a trip to Joe’s Valley, Utah. | Oaks family photo
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