Politician and skier Jack Kemp dies at 73

Former Congressman, and avid skier Jack Kemp, 73, died of cancer Saturday evening at his home in Bethesda, Md. Kemp also kept a home in Vail, Colo. where he enjoyed ski vacations with his family.

A former NFL football player, Kemp and his wife Joanne were founding members and Advisory Board members of the Yellowstone Club, a private ski and golf development near Big Sky Resort in Montana. The resort’s “Quarterback Sneak” trail was named in Kemp’s honor.

Kemp maintained friendships with skiing legends, filmmaker Warren Miller and Yellowstone Club founder Tim Blixseth. Kemp worked with Blixseth to found Empower America, a conservative organization that is now part of FreedomWorks.

Kemp was a longtime member of the Steadman Hawkins Foundation Board as well as the Vail Valley Foundation Board.

Kemp’s political career was defined by representing western New York for nine terms in Congress. He left Congress for an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988. He then served as President George H.W. Bush’s housing secretary before becoming Bob Dole’s running-mate on the 1996 Republican presidential ticket.

Former Congressman, and avid skier Jack Kemp, 73, died of cancer Saturday evening at his home in Bethesda, Md. Kemp also kept a home in Vail, Colo. where he enjoyed ski vacations with his family.

Kemp was a longtime member of the Steadman Hawkins Foundation Board as well as the Vail Valley Foundation Board.

A former NFL football player, Kemp and his wife Joanne were founding members and Advisory Board members of the Yellowstone Club, a private ski and golf development near Big Sky Resort in Montana. The resort’s “Quarterback Sneak” trail was named in Kemp’s honor.

Kemp maintained friendships with skiing legends, filmmaker Warren Miller and Yellowstone Club founder Tim Blixseth. Kemp worked with Blixseth to found Empower America, a conservative organization that is now part of FreedomWorks.

Kemp’s political career was defined by representing western New York for nine terms in Congress. He left Congress for an unsuccessful presidential bid in 1988. He then served as President George H.W. Bush’s housing secretary before becoming Bob Dole’s running-mate for the 1996 presidential campaign.