List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan
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The following is a list of notable people associated with Grand Rapids, Michigan. These people were born or lived in Grand Rapids.
Artists and artisans
[edit]- David Thomas Sneller Sculptor, characture artist, and Competitive Eater. Widely known around town as the "singing sculptor" He can usually be seen at the fish ladder singing doo wop whilst sculpting salmon out of clay and offering complimentary characture drawings to passers by. A founding member of notorious bad boys gang "Alger Thugz" and is an avid praying mantis breeder. snel.jpg
- Mathias Alten — impressionist painter
- Jeffrey Brown — comic book creator
- Frederick Stuart Church — illustrator[1]
- Kreigh Collins — painter; cartoonist[2]
- Paul Collins — painter[3]
- Dirk Gringhuis — illustrator
- Daniel Vosovic — clothing designer[4]
Business, industry, academic and labor figures
[edit]- Clayton Allen — entrepreneur
- Steve Belkin — founder and chairman of Trans National Group
- Hattie Beverly — teacher
- Owen Bieber — president of United Auto Workers
- Anna Sutherland Bissell — chief executive officer of Bissell[5]
- Charles Sumner Burch — editor of Grand Rapids Evening Press
- Mary de Young — professor of sociology; author
- Dick DeVos — chief executive officer of Amway
- Richard DeVos — co-founder of Amway[6]
- Keith DeVries — archaeologist
- Anthony Diekema — former president of Calvin College[7]
- Gerald Rudolff Ford — businessman; chairman of Kent County Republican Committee; stepfather of Gerald Ford
- Arnold Gingrich — founder of Esquire magazine
- James Hackett — businessman; Steelcase, Ford Motor Company
- John A. Hannah — president of Michigan State College
- H. Wayne Huizenga — entrepreneur
- Loraine Immen — first president of the Grand Rapids City Federation of Women's Clubs
- Hugh Newell Jacobsen — Modernist architect
- Jack Loeks — movie theater entrepreneur[8]
- Kenneth Marin — professor of economics; member of White House Consumer Advisory Council
- Frank Edward McGurrin — inventor of touch typing
- M. Peter McPherson — president of Michigan State University; chairman of Dow Jones
- Doug Meijer — co-chairman of supermarket Meijer[9]
- Hank Meijer — co-chairman and CEO of supermarket Meijer[9]
- Agnes Nestor — labor leader
- John Pease — professor of sociology
- Marshall Purnell — president of American Institute of Architects
- John Herman Randall Jr. — professor of philosophy
- Charles Ryskamp — professor at Princeton and museum director
- Henry F. Schaefer, III — professor of chemistry
- L. William Seidman — economist and financial commentator
- Ossian Cole Simonds — landscape designer
- Carl J. Strikwerda — president of Elizabethtown College
- Mel Trotter — rescue mission director[10]
- Jay Van Andel — co-founder of Amway[11]
- Robert J. Vanderbei — Princeton University professor
- John Philip Wernette — president of the University of New Mexico
- Roger Wilkins — civil rights leader and professor
Criminals
[edit]Entertainment figures
[edit]- Gillian Anderson — television and film actress[12]
- Ford Beebe — film director
- Otto Brower — film director
- James T. Callahan — film and television actor
- Horace B. Carpenter — film actor and director
- Jim Cash — screenwriter
- Riley Chamberlin — silent film actor
- Rex Cherryman — stage and film actor
- Shawn Christian — television and film actor
- Wanda Cochran — soprano
- Steven Ford — television and film actor
- Stephen Goosson — film set designer
- Lorna Gray — film actress
- Stacey Haiduk — television actress
- Thom Hartmann — radio personality
- Paul Walter Hauser — television and film actor and comedian
- Adam Herz — screenwriter and producer
- Phillips Holmes — early film actor
- Jimmy Jacobs — professional wrestler
- Matt Keeslar — television and film actor
- Lisa Kelly — ice road trucker
- James Kirkwood Sr. — film actor and director
- Eric Allan Kramer — television, film and stage actor
- Taylor Lautner — television and film actor[13]
- Victor Lundberg — radio personality
- C. Cameron Macauley — filmmaker
- Violet MacMillan — vaudeville, stage and silent film actress
- Kevin Matthews — radio personality
- Ryan O'Reilly — professional wrestler
- Wally Phillips — radio personality
- Don Quinn — comedy writer and cartoonist
- Andy Richter — television and film actor[14]
- Leonard Schrader — screenwriter and director
- Paul Schrader — screenwriter and director
- Richard Shoberg — television actor
- Noah Sife — television actor
- Jackie Swanson — television and film actress
- Ray Teal — television and film actor
- Reed Timmer — storm chaser and meteorologist[15]
- Jess Walton — television actress
- Elizabeth Wilson — stage, television and film actress
- Dick York — television, stage, radio and film actor
- Ginger Zee — ABC News meteorologist
- Kim Zimmer — television and stage actress
Government officials, politicians and activists
[edit]- Russell A. Alger — Governor of Michigan; U.S. Secretary of War
- Justin Amash — U.S. Congressman
- John Ball — pioneer; member of the Michigan State Legislature
- Charles E. Belknap — Union Army Captain; U.S. Congressman
- Harvey Hollister Bundy — Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of War
- Edmund Burfoot — Member of Michigan House of Representatives
- Charles C. Comstock — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; mayor of Grand Rapids[16]
- Robert Danhof — jurist
- Vern Ehlers — U.S. Congressman from Michigan[17]
- William Montague Ferry Jr. — Michigan and Utah Politician
- Betty Ford — 37th First Lady of the United States[18]
- Gerald R. Ford — 38th President of the United States[18]
- Wilder D. Foster — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; mayor of Grand Rapids[16]
- George Heartwell — Mayor of Grand Rapids[16][19]
- Paul B. Henry — U.S. Congressman[20]
- Julius Houseman — U.S. Congressman; mayor of Grand Rapids[16]
- Bartel J. Jonkman — U.S. Congressman from Michigan
- Frank Knox — U.S. Secretary of the Navy; vice presidential candidate in the 1936 U.S. Presidential election
- Terri Lynn Land — Michigan Secretary of State[21]
- Louise Little — Mother of Malcolm X
- John H. Logie — Mayor of Grand Rapids[16][22]
- Peter Meijer — U.S. Congressman; son of Hank Meijer
- Frederick Henry Mueller — U.S. Secretary of Commerce[23]
- Agnes Nestor — women's suffrage and workers' rights activist[24]
- Lyman Parks — Mayor of Grand Rapids
- Helen Cary Russell — president, Grand Rapids Federation of Women's Clubs; president, Michigan State Federation of Women's Clubs
- Michael Sak — State Representative
- Harold S. Sawyer — U.S. Congressman
- Hillary Scholten — U.S. Congresswoman
- Peter F. Secchia — U.S. Ambassador to Italy
- William Alden Smith — U.S. Senator
- Glenn Steil Sr. — member of the Michigan Senate[25]
- K. William Stinson — U.S. Congressman from Washington
- Edwin F. Sweet — U.S. Congressman, mayor of Grand Rapids[16]
- Jerald terHorst — press secretary under President Gerald Ford
- Edwin F. Uhl — U.S. Assistant Secretary of State ; mayor of Grand Rapids[16]
- Arthur H. Vandenberg — 88th President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate[26]
- Guy Vander Jagt — U.S. Congressman from Michigan[27]
- Richard VanderVeen — U.S. Congressman [28]
- Martha Lee Walters — 43rd Chief Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court[29]
- Roger Wilkins — U.S. Assistant Attorney General. Attended Creston High School
Military figures
[edit]- Keith Clark — U.S. Army bugler who played "Taps" at the funeral of President John F. Kennedy
- Arthur B. Engel — U.S. Coast Guard rear admiral
- Benjamin F. Engel — U.S. Coast Guard vice admiral
- Eugene F. George — U.S. Navy sailor and Navy Cross recipient
- Scott S. Haraburda — U.S. Army Colonel and president of the Indiana Society of Professional Engineers[31]
- John C. Sjogren — U.S. Army staff sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient
- Stephen A. Turcotte — U.S. Navy rear admiral
- Dirk J. Vlug — U.S. Army private first class and Medal of Honor recipient
Musicians and bands
[edit]- Pennjamin Bannekar — independent music artist and songwriter
- Dave Bixby — folk musician
- Ralston Bowles — folk musician
- Mary Canberg — violinist
- The Cardboard Swords — pop-rock band
- Jeffrey Daniel — member of R&B group Shalamar
- Xavier Davis — jazz pianist
- DeBarge — R&B/soul group
- Dennis "Fergie" Frederiksen — vocalist (formerly of Toto)
- Al Green — R&B/soul singer[32]
- Bob Hay — member of the Squalls
- Adina Howard — R&B singer
- Charlie Huhn — frontman for Foghat
- Maynard James Keenan — lead singer of Tool
- Anthony Kiedis — lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
- La the Darkman — hip hop artist affiliated with Wu-Tang Clan
- La Dispute — post-hardcore group[33]
- Robert Longfield — composer
- Kevin Max — member of dc Talk
- Ken Medema — Christian musician
- Kellin Quinn — member of post-hardcore/alternative rock band Sleeping With Sirens
- John W. Peterson — Christian songwriter
- Mustard Plug — ska punk group
- Pop Evil — hard rock band
- Marvin Sapp — gospel singer, and member of the group Commissioned
- Del Shannon — rock & roll musician
- Sleeping with Sirens — alternative rock/post-hardcore band
- SoFaygo — rapper
- Leo Sowerby — composer and musician
- Still Remains — metalcore group
- Casey Stratton — pop/rock musician
- Sam Stryke — composer and pianist
- Helena Stone Torgerson — harpist and composer
- Whirlwind Heat — alternative rock group[34]
- Willie the Kid — rapper
- Jason Wood — lead singer of It Dies Today
Religious figures
[edit]- Rob Bell — founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church; author
- Martin H. Carmody — Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
- M. R. DeHaan — Bible teacher, founder of the Radio Bible Class
- Michael Gallagher — Bishop of Grand Rapids
- Francis J. Haas — Bishop of Grand Rapids
- Edward D. Kelly — Bishop of Grand Rapids
- Isaac McCoy — Baptist missionary
- Joseph Crescent McKinney — Auxiliary Bishop of Grand Rapids
- Joseph G. Pinten — Bishop of Grand Rapids
- Charles Salatka — Archbishop of Oklahoma City
- Robert Sirico — co-founder of the Acton Institute
- Edmund Szoka — President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State
Science
[edit]- Roger Chaffee — NASA astronaut, U.S. Navy lieutenant commander[35]
- Jewell James Ebers — transistor-theory electrical engineer
- Christina Koch — NASA astronaut, engineer
- Jack R. Lousma — NASA astronaut, U.S. Marine Corps colonel
- Lynn Rogers — biologist
Sports figures
[edit]- Vince Agnew — NFL player
- George Andrie — NFL player
- Dan Archer — NFL player
- Paul Assenmacher — MLB player
- Jim Avery — NFL player
- John Barnum — PGA Tour golfer
- Terry Barr — NFL player
- Albrey Battle — gridiron football player[36]
- Johnny Benson — NASCAR driver
- Ray Bentley — NFL player
- Harry Berrios — baseball player
- Marcus Bingham Jr. (born 2000) — basketball player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Israel Boatwright — soccer player[37]
- Devin Booker — NBA player
- Drayson Bowman — NHL player
- Jim Boylen — NBA assistant coach
- Cameron Bradfield — NFL player
- David Brandt — NFL player
- Andrew Bremer – cerebral palsy soccer player[38]
- Carlton Brewster — NFL player
- Kobe Bufkin — NBA player
- Kelly Butler — NFL player
- Geno Carlisle — basketball player
- Bill Cutler — baseball executive
- Chuck DeShane — NFL player
- Al DeVormer — MLB player
- Mark Dewey — MLB player
- Brian Diemer — track and field athlete
- Mike Donald — PGA Tour golfer
- Allie Dragoo — professional cyclist[39]
- Jim Dreyer — ultramarathon athlete
- Mike Dumas — NFL player
- Katie Feenstra — Women's National Basketball Association player
- Julius Franks — All-American college football player
- Brent Gates — MLB player
- Julie Glass — roller derby and competitive speed skater
- Luke Glendening — NHL player
- Paul G. Goebel — NFL player; naval officer; mayor of Grand Rapids
- Paul Grasmanis — NFL player
- Ben Handlogten — NBA player
- David Harris — NFL player
- Jamahal Hill — mixed martial artist
- Gary Hogeboom — NFL player
- Marilyn Jenkins — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
- Josh Kalis — skateboarder
- Chris Kaman — NBA player
- Stanley Ketchel — middleweight boxer
- Mike Knuble — NHL player
- Lauren Kozal — National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) goalkeeper[40]
- Rick Kreuger — Major League Baseball player[41]
- Marion Ladewig — bowler
- Doc Lavan — MLB player
- Pete Lee — Olympic and world champion wrestler
- Bob Lurtsema — NFL player
- Mitch Lyons — NFL player[42]
- Buster Mathis Jr. — heavyweight boxer
- Jalen Mayfield — NFL player
- Floyd Mayweather Jr. — welterweight boxer[43]
- Floyd Mayweather Sr. — welterweight boxer
- Jeff Mayweather — super featherweight boxer
- Roger Mayweather — welterweight boxer
- Sparky McEwen — football player[44]
- Greg Meyer — distance runner
- Rick Miller — MLB player
- Monté Morris — NBA player
- Terna Nande — NFL player
- Drew Neitzel — professional basketball player
- Aidan O'Connor — Major League Soccer defender[45]
- Jim Pace — NFL player
- Wally Pipp — Major League Baseball player
- Kaleb Ort — MLB pitcher
- Peter Quillin — middleweight boxer
- John Rienstra — NFL player
- Rueben Riley — NFL player
- Dathan Ritzenhein — distance runner[46]
- Rocky Rosema — NFL player
- Dave Rozema — MLB player
- Doris Satterfield — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
- Steve Scheffler — NBA player[47]
- Betsy Snite — Olympic skiing silver medalist
- Joe Soboleski — NFL player
- Mickey Stanley — MLB player
- Matt Steigenga — NBA player
- Frank Steketee — All-American college football player
- Lou Stringer — MLB player
- Xavier Tillman — NBA player
- James Toney — heavyweight boxer
- Tony Tucker — heavyweight boxer
- John Vander Wal — MLB player
- Loy Vaught — NBA player
- Jared Veldheer — NFL player[48]
- Dave Walsh — professional gamer
- Casper Wells — MLB player[49]
- Jack Wisner — MLB player[50]
Writers, novelists, poets and journalists
[edit]- Max Apple — short story writer, novelist and screenwriter
- Anne W. Armstrong — novelist
- William Brashler — novelist and journalist[51]
- Andrew Britton — novelist
- Robert Forrest Burgess — outdoors writer and photographer
- Peter De Vries — editor and novelist
- Meindert DeJong — children's author
- Arnold Gingrich — founder of Esquire magazine
- LZ Granderson — sports writer[52]
- Lloyd Kropp — novelist, composer and educator
- Robie Macauley — novelist, literary critic and educator
- Harold Matson — literary agent
- Chris Molnar — writer, editor and publisher of Archway Editions
- Ander Monson — novelist and poet
- Bich Minh Nguyen — novelist and nonfiction writer
- Mary Jo Salter — poet
- Gary Schmidt — children's writer of nonfiction books and young adult novels
- Watson Spoelstra — sportswriter
- Michael Talbot — science writer
- Chris Van Allsburg — children's author and illustrator[53]
- Stewart Edward White — author
References
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to People of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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- ^ Wallner, Peter J. "Grand Rapids native Allie Dragoo wins stage 1 at Tour of Utah", The Grand Rapids Press, August 4, 2015. Accessed May 19, 2017. "Allie Dragoo, a Grand Rapids native who attended East Grand Rapids High School, won stage 1 of the two-day Tour of Utah Women's Edition: Criterium Classic on Tuesday."
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