Dirk A. Kempthorne

Dirk Arthur Kempthorne passed away on Friday, April 24th, 2026 surrounded by the people he loved most—just as he lived his life, at the center of family, connection, and love.

To the world, he held many titles. But to those who knew him best, he was husband, dad, brother, Pop Dirk, grandpa, and friend.

Dirk had a rare and remarkable gift: he made people feel seen. Truly seen. Whether you met him once or knew him for years, he would look you in the eye, remember your name, ask about your story—and mean it. In a crowded room, he had a way of making you feel like you were the only person in it.

He carried a magnetic energy—warm, electric, and full of curiosity. He loved people, and people loved him right back. Conversations with Dirk were never rushed, never surface-level. He wanted to know who you were, what mattered to you, and how your day was really going.

His greatest joy was his family and time with friends.

He shared a deep and enduring love with his wife, Patricia. Their days began with quiet mornings and coffee together, and often ended with a fire in the fireplace and music playing on the turn table—simple moments he cherished most. He was a proud and devoted father to Heather and Jeff, and an adoring Pop Dirk to his seven grandchildren. He dressed up as Spiderman, carried babies in his arms for as long as they’d let him, made videos, took photos, and created memories that will live on in all of them.

Dirk loved life’s details—the kind that many overlook. A perfect glass of Chianti by the fire pit in McCall. The sound of geese flying over his Boise backyard. The view of the cross on Table Rock from his bedroom window. A cold beer after a day on the boat. A freshly washed car or a polished boat. Time at the cabin, on the water, or riding his Harley. He found joy in the rhythm of it all.He loved music—especially “I Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash—and he lived with that same sense of presence and purpose. Steady, intentional, and true to who he was.

He also had a way of making everything just a little more special. He would rearrange a hotel room until it felt just right. He would tweak a program or event to make it more meaningful. If something was said to be impossible, Dirk didn’t accept it—he found another way.

As Secretary of the Interior, Dirk was entrusted with America's treasures — and he never stopped seeing them that way. In The Peregrine Fund, he found a mission that matched his heart: that the surest way to protect the wild world is to invest in the people who live alongside it, and in the children who will inherit it.

Dirk is survived by his beloved wife, Patricia Kempthorne; their children, Heather Myklegard and Jeff Kempthorne; their spouses, Drew Myklegard and Natasha Kempthorne; and their seven grandchildren, Brody Davis, Jake Henry, and Cole Tucker Myklegard; Remington Dirk, Evelyn Virginia, Hannah Oakley, and Owen Bear Kempthorne. He is also survived by his brother, Mark W Kempthorne and several fine nieces and nephews. Dirk was preceded in death by his father, James H Kempthorne, his mother, Maxine Kempthorne, and his older brother, James H Kempthorne II.

Our family is heartbroken, but we are deeply grateful—for the time we had with him, for the love he gave so freely, and for the countless lives he touched simply by being himself. Dirk had more friends than one could ever count.

He made this world feel more personal, more connected, and more alive. And though he is no longer with us, his legacy can live on for those who chanced to meet him and those who shared their life with him.

The public is invited to pay their respects when he will lie in state in the Idaho State Capitol rotunda on Friday, May 15, 2026 beginning at 10:00am MT.

A public funeral service will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026 at the Cathedral of the Rockies in Boise, Idaho at 11:00am MT. Following a church reception, the procession of family and invited friends will move to the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery for burial. The funeral service will also be live-streamed on the church’s website. https://www.cathedraloftherockies.org/sunday-worship/downtown-classic/

In addition, a Celebration of Life event is being planned for Washington, DC in the coming months.

In honor of Dirk’s life and legacy, donations may be made to the Dolphin Scholarship

Foundation(supporting the USS Idaho Scholarship Endowment), the Peregrine Fund, or a cause that is meaningful to you.

https://www.dolphinscholarship.org/make-a-gift/ https://peregrinefund.org/choose-your-membership