Franklin D. Richards (Mormon seventy)

Franklin Dewey Richards (November 17, 1900 – November 13, 1987) was a national commissioner of the United States Federal Housing Administration (FHA) and a general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

Richards was born in Ogden, Utah to Charles C. Richards and Louisa L. Peery. He was the youngest of eight children. He was named after his paternal grandfather, who was a member of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles from 1849 to 1899. Richards was married to Helen Kearnes and was the father of four children.

From 1920 to 1922, Richards was a LDS Church missionary in the church's Eastern States Mission. During his mission, he was the president of the church's New York, Boston, and Brooklyn districts.

In 1923, Richards received a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Utah. He practiced law in Salt Lake City until being named as the first Utah director of the FHA. In 1947, he became the national commissioner of the FHA in Washington, D.C.. Richards resigned this position in 1952 and pursued a career in mortgage banking.

Prior to his call as a general authority in the LDS Church, Richards was president of the church's Northwestern States Mission. In 1960, he became an Assistant to the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. He served in this capacity until 1976, when the position was discontinued. At this time, he became a member of the newly constituted First Quorum of the Seventy and the senior president of the Presidency of the Seventy. In 1983, he was released from the Presidency of the Seventy to serve as the president of the Washington D.C. Temple; he served in this position until 1986.

Richards died at home in Salt Lake City and his funeral was held in the Salt Lake Assembly Hall on what would have been his 87th birthday. The speakers at his funeral included LDS Church apostles Gordon B. Hinckley, Thomas S. Monson, Marvin J. Ashton, and Richard G. Scott.

Richards was credited with creating the six-part LDS Church missionary discussions which were used by the church for many years.