Oscar W. McConkie

Oscar W. McConkie
Vivian and Oscar McConkie, ca. 1952
Born	May 9, 1887 Buena Vista, Utah
Died	April 9, 1966
Nationality	American
Occupation	Salt Lake City commissioner, Utah State Senator, leader in the LDS Church

Oscar Walter McConkie (May 9, 1887 – April 9, 1966) was a Utah State Senator and leader in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). He was the father of Bruce R. McConkie, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the LDS Church. A second son, Oscar W. McConkie, Jr., was a member of the Utah State Senate.

McConkie was born in Buena Vista, Utah, a small town close to Moab, Utah. At the time, his father was sought by government officials for recognizing his three wives as such so not long after his birth, Oscar moved to Mexico. His father died in Pacheco, Galeana, Chihuahua in December 1890.

After his father's death, the family moved to Mona, Utah, where McConkie was raised. The McConkies moved to Moab when Oscar was ten years old. After graduating from Moab High School, McConkie attended the University of Utah. In 1913, he married Margaret Vivian Redd in the Salt Lake Temple. In 1914, McConkie began his studies at the University of Michigan, which led to his son, Bruce, being born in Ann Arbor.

After two years at law school, McConkie was having eye troubles and so returned to Utah. He worked as editor of the San Juan Record, based from Monticello, Utah, where he also practiced law until 1922. In 1925, McConkie returned to Ann Arbor to finish his law studies at the University of Michigan after which he moved to Salt Lake City in the fall of 1926.

McConkie served as a judge in San Juan County, Utah, from 1919 to 1922, and Utah's Third District Court Judge, from 1928 to 1940. He also served as Salt Lake City commissioner.

In 1940, McConkie unsuccessfully sought to be the Democratic candidate for Governor of Utah.