KITCHEL, Denison 1908-2002

OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for CA sketch: Born March 1, 1908, in Bronxville, NY; died October 10, 2002, in Scottsdale, AZ. Lawyer, political adviser, and author. Kitchel is most well known for his role as advisor to U.S. Senator and one-time presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. He was a graduate of Yale and Harvard universities, receiving his law degree from the latter in 1933. He then joined a law firm in Phoenix that became Evans, Kitchel & Jenckes when he was promoted to partner in 1938. While still an associate at the firm, Kitchel met Goldwater, who, at the time, was a business executive for a department store. The two became friends, and when Goldwater decided to run for political office in 1952 he tapped Kitchel to manage his campaign. Kitchel continued to advise Goldwater for much of the senator's political career, writing speeches, advising him on policy issues, and running his 1964 presidential campaign. Kitchel, however, was always seen as a political outsider by other politicians and campaign managers, and he himself said that he hated politics. He remained with his law firm throughout his career and was the author of two books, Too Grave a Rise: The Connally Amendment Issue (1963) and The Truth about the Panama Canal (1978).

OBITUARIES AND OTHER SOURCES:

periodicals

Chicago Tribune, October 23, 2002, section 2, p. 9.

Los Angeles Times, October 24, 2002, p. B14.

New York Times, October 22, 2002, p. A29.

Washington Post, October 23, 2002, p. B7.