BOISE, Idaho – Dirk Kempthorne, who served as both the Governor of Idaho and the U.S. Interior Secretary, has passed away at the age of 74. His family confirmed his death in a statement released on Saturday.
Kempthorne took his last breath on Friday evening in Boise, according to the statement. While the cause of death wasn’t specified, he had been battling colon cancer since he was diagnosed last year.
“Beyond his roles in public service, he was a loving husband, father, and grandfather who found his greatest happiness in spending time with his family and those he met throughout his life,” his family shared. “He had a unique ability to truly connect with others, remembering names, stories, and details that made everyone feel recognized and valued.”
A member of the Republican Party, Kempthorne began his political career as the Mayor of Boise at just 34 years old, serving for seven years before securing a seat in the U.S. Senate left vacant by Sen. Steve Symms. Opting not to seek reelection in 1998, he successfully ran for governor, winning decisively with more than two-thirds of the vote against his Democratic opponent.
In 2006, President George W. Bush appointed him as the Interior Secretary, a role he maintained until the conclusion of Bush’s presidency. During this time, Kempthorne resided on a houseboat anchored in the Potomac River. Notably, under his leadership, the polar bear was classified as a threatened species in 2008, although his tenure was sometimes criticized by environmentalists for being overly favorable towards the oil and gas sectors.
“As Governor, Dirk made a lasting impact on our state,” remarked Idaho Governor Brad Little in a written statement. Together with his wife, Patricia, Kempthorne “advocated for children and families, enhanced public education, and spearheaded significant investments in our transportation infrastructure, which will continue to benefit Idahoans for years to come.”
In a 2023 question-and-answer session with the George W. Bush Presidential Center, Kempthorne recalled helping evacuate nearly 400 U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan two years earlier, as many were being sought by the Taliban following the U.S. military’s chaotic withdrawal. Kemthorne and others worked frantically for months to raise money and garner the support of diplomatic channels to charter buses and an Airbus A340 to help resettle the evacuees in the U.S. and Canada.
At one point, with the flight fully booked, the organizers received a list of more people who needed to leave urgently.
“That night, at a total loss for answers, alone, I knelt in prayer,” Kempthorne recalled. “I said, ‘Dear God, we cannot leave these people behind, please give a path forward.’ ”
He said he then had a vision of Mother Mary holding the infant Jesus. It gave him an idea: The babies on the flight didn’t need their own seats, as their parents could hold them. The organizers confirmed that with the airline and were able to add an additional 50 people to the flight, Kempthorne said.
Kempthorne is survived by his wife, as well as their children Heather and Jeff and their families.
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