BOISE, Idaho — Dirk Kempthorne, who held prominent roles as Idaho’s governor and U.S. Interior Secretary, passed away Friday evening at age 74, according to a family statement released Saturday.
The former Republican leader died in Boise after battling colon cancer, which he was diagnosed with in the previous year, his family announced.
“Beyond his public service, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather whose greatest joy came from time spent with family and the people he met along the way,” his family said. “He had a rare gift for truly seeing others — remembering names, stories, and the small details that made each person feel known and valued.”
Kempthorne began his political career early, winning Boise’s mayoral race at just 34 years old and holding that office for seven years. He then claimed the U.S. Senate position left open by departing Senator Steve Symms. Instead of seeking another Senate term in 1998, he launched a gubernatorial campaign and overwhelmingly defeated his Democratic challenger with more than two-thirds of voter support.
President George W. Bush selected him to lead the Interior Department in 2006, where he remained through Bush’s final days in office. During his Washington tenure, he notably resided on a houseboat moored along the Potomac River. His Interior Department oversaw the 2008 designation of polar bears as a threatened species, though environmental advocates frequently criticized his approach as overly favorable to oil and gas companies.
Current Idaho Governor Brad Little praised Kempthorne’s legacy in a written tribute. “As Governor, Dirk left an enduring mark on our state,” Little stated. Working alongside his wife Patricia, Kempthorne “championed children and families, strengthened public education, and led transformational investments in our transportation system that will benefit Idahoans for generations.”
During a 2023 interview with the George W. Bush Presidential Center, Kempthorne shared details about his involvement in evacuating nearly 400 Americans and Afghan allies following the turbulent U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. He and fellow organizers spent months raising funds and securing diplomatic support to arrange buses and charter an Airbus A340 for resettling evacuees in the United States and Canada.
When faced with additional people needing urgent evacuation after the flight reached capacity, Kempthorne described turning to prayer for guidance.
“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 described receiving a vision of Mother Mary with infant Jesus, which inspired a solution: infants could travel on their parents’ laps rather than occupying separate seats. After confirming this arrangement with the airline, organizers successfully added 50 more passengers to the evacuation flight.
Kempthorne leaves behind his wife Patricia, along with their children Heather and Jeff and their respective families.
