Education
Brigham Young University. University of Utah.
Brigham Young University. University of Utah.
She served longer in this capacity than any other woman in the history of the Relief Society. Spafford was also the second counselor to president Amy B. Lyman from 1942 to 1945. In 1974, Spafford was succeeded by Barbara B. Smith.
Born in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, to John Gibson Smith and Hester Sims, Spafford was youngest of seven children.
During her tenure as president, the society grew from just over 100,000 members to more than one million, spanning several dozen countries. Spafford oversaw the discontinuance of the Relief Society Magazine in 1970 and promoted the Ensign as the primary magazine for the women of the church.
In the late 1970s, Spafford was a vocal opponent of the proposed Equal Rights Amendment. Spafford attended both the University of Utah and Brigham Young University (Brigham Young University).
She did work with special education instruction at Brigham Young University. In 1921, Belle married West. Earl Spafford.
They had two children, Earl and Mary. The Belle South. Spafford Endowed Chair in Social Work at the University of Utah is named in her honor. She authored two books: Women in Today"s World and A Woman"s Reach.
Spafford was a member of the National Council of Women of the United States, and served as its president from 1968 to 1970. She was also a member of the American Regional Council of the International Council of Women.