Dirk Kempthorne, former Idaho governor and U.S. Interior Secretary, died Friday evening in Boise at age 74, according to a family statement. No cause was given; he had been diagnosed with colon cancer last year.
A Legacy of Service
Dirk Kempthorne, a Republican, was elected mayor of Boise in 1985 at age 34, serving seven years before winning a U.S. Senate seat in 1992. He authored legislation to end unfunded federal mandates on state and local governments, signed by President Bill Clinton. In 1998, he was elected governor of Idaho with more than two-thirds of the vote.
President George W. Bush appointed him Interior Secretary in 2006, a position he held until the end of Bush's presidency. In 2008, he successfully advocated for listing the polar bear as a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act.
Humanitarian Action
In 2021, Kempthorne helped evacuate nearly 400 U.S. citizens and Afghan allies from Afghanistan following the U.S. military withdrawal. During the effort, he recounted praying for a solution after receiving a list of additional people needing escape. He then suggested that babies could be held by parents, allowing 50 more people to be added to the flight.
What People Said
"One of the finest public servants I ever knew."
— Former President George W. Bush
"He championed children and families, strengthened public education, and led transformational investments in our transportation system."
— Idaho Governor Brad Little
Kempthorne's family described him as a devoted husband, father, and grandfather who remembered names and stories.
Survivors
Kempthorne is survived by his wife, Patricia, and their children Heather and Jeff.