Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior and Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne died Friday night after battling colon cancer, his family announced through the governor’s office.
Kempthorne, 74, also served as a member of the U.S. Senate and the mayor of Boise during a nearly 25-year career in public office.
In a written statement issued Saturday, Kempthorne’s family said he died Friday night surrounded by the people he loved most.
“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,” Kempthorne’s family wrote. “He had a rare gift for truly seeing others — remembering names, stories, and the small details that made each person feel known and valued.”
Several Idaho political leaders praised Kempthorne’s record of public service and commitment to Idaho.
“He was a political unicorn,” Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke said in an interview Wednesday, referring to the mix of city, state and federal offices that Kempthorne held. “That doesn’t happen very often.”
“He left his mark on Idaho,” Bedke added.
Kempthorne, a Republican who was born in San Diego, California, served as the 30th governor of Idaho from 1999 to 2006.
Kempthorne resigned as governor in 2006 after President George W. Bush nominated Kempthorne to serve as the U.S. secretary of the interior – a position he held until 2009.
On Saturday, Idaho Gov. Brad Little issued an order calling for U.S. and Idaho flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of Kempthorne until the day after his funeral, which has yet to be scheduled.
“(Idaho First Lady) Teresa (Little) and I are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Gov. Dirk Kempthorne,” Little wrote on Saturday. “Our friendship goes back to our college days, where Dirk and I shared the same state government class – an experience that helped set the course for a lifetime of public service for him.”
Little called Kempthorne, and his wife Patricia, “dedicated and passionate leaders.”
“Dirk’s career was marked by extraordinary service at every level,” Little wrote. “His early work as an industry advocate and campaign manager for Phil Batt led to his leadership as a successful Boise mayor who helped change the trajectory of our capital city. During his distinguished tenure in the U.S. Senate, Dirk served Idaho with vision, integrity, and an unwavering commitment to doing what was right.”
“As Governor, Dirk left an enduring mark on our state,” Little added. “With Patricia’s steadfast partnership, he championed children and families, strengthened public education, and led transformational investments in our transportation system that will benefit Idahoans for generations. He elevated Idaho’s voice on the national stage as chairman of the National Governors Association.”
On Saturday, U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, described Kempthorne as a close friend who leaves behind an enduring legacy of service.
“Dirk Kempthorne was one of Idaho’s most distinguished public servants and my dear friend of over 40 years,” Simpson wrote Saturday. “Dirk’s career was a testament to selfless dedication, from the halls of local government as mayor and governor to national service as senator and secretary. I join Idahoans today in mourning the loss of Dirk, but also feel immense gratitude for his decades of service, loyalty, and the lasting impact he has had on Idaho and America. I am grateful for Dirk’s service to our state and nation, as well as his friendship all these years. To Patricia, his wife, and their children, Kathy and I extend our deepest condolences. May he rest in peace.”
In a statement released Saturday, U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, said Kempthorne served as a mentor when Crapo prepared to fill his seat in the U.S. Senate.
“Gov. Kempthorne’s leadership and vision helped shape the state of Idaho for generations,” Crapo wrote. “From his time as mayor of Boise to his tenure as governor, and later, U.S. secretary of the interior, he worked tirelessly to preserve the natural beauty and resources that define Idaho and the American West. His legacy is rooted in public service, with a decades-long body of work dedicated to improving the lives of others.”
Dirk Kempthorne’s policies affected Idaho water rights, transportation infrastructure
During his time in office in Idaho, Kempthorne “laid the groundwork for water modeling and was a visionary transportation planner,” Bedke said.
In 2004, Kempthorne and then-Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee Chairman Anthony Johnson announced the Snake River Water Rights Agreement, which resolved water rights claims in the Snake River Basin, according to the Idaho Department of Water Resources.
In 2006, Kempthorne signed into law a bill that authorized the state’s first sale of Grant Anticipation Revenue Vehicle, or GARVEE, bonds to finance major transportation projects.
“I think the whole Treasure Valley owes him a huge debt of gratitude because he pushed the GARVEE program way back when,” Bedke said. “If not for GARVEE, we would be paying as we go to expand the freeway system in the Treasure Valley.”
Bedke said Kempthorne held everyone’s feet to the fire, legislatively, until the measure passed, and the program has allowed the state to expand Interstate 84.
Last year, the U.S. Navy honored Kempthorne by naming the engine room on the USS Idaho submarine after him.
U.S. Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, announced the naming honor, pointing out that the USS Idaho is powered by a nuclear reactor pioneered at Idaho National Laboratory.
“Dirk’s contributions to our great state and our nation are significant,” Risch said in a written statement. “His leadership and dedication to the USS Idaho Commissioning Committee is a true testament to Dirk’s resounding love for the Gem State.”
“It was my great honor to request the USS Idaho’s Engine Room be named for my dear friend and Idaho’s former governor, Dirk Kempthorne,” Risch added.
Overall, Kempthorne was a strong public speaker, a good administrator and an effective fundraiser, Bedke said.
“He’s a good guy,” Bedke said. “He’s a good public speaker, and that’s because he was uber prepared. He practiced a lot.”
Information about memorial services was not immediately available Saturday morning. Kempthorne’s family said additional details will be shared in the coming days.
“Our family is heartbroken, but we are also deeply grateful — for the time we had with him and for the extraordinary outpouring of love and support we have received from across Idaho and the country,” Kempthorne’s family wrote Saturday.
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