List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (April 2010) |
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[]
- Mathias Alten — impressionist painter
- Jeffrey Brown — comic book creator
- Frederick Stuart Church — illustrator[1]
- Paul Collins — painter[2]
- Dirk Gringhuis — illustrator
- Daniel Vosovic — clothing designer[3]
Business, industry, academic and labor figures[]
- 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[4]
- 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[5]
- Keith DeVries — archaeologist
- Anthony Diekema — former president of Calvin College[6]
- Jewell James Ebers — transistor-theory electrical engineer
- 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
- Hugh Newell Jacobsen — Modernist architect
- Jack Loeks — movie theater entrepreneur[7]
- 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[8]
- Hank Meijer — co-chairman and CEO of supermarket Meijer[8]
- Agnes Nestor — labor leader
- John Pease — professor of sociology
- — founder of Syncbak, invented technology to replicate broadcast TV on the Internet[9]
- Marshall Purnell — president of American Institute of Architects
- John Herman Randall, Jr. — professor of philosophy
- Lynn Rogers — biologist
- 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
Entertainment figures[]
- 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
- Adam Herz — screenwriter and producer
- 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[]
- 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
- 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]
- Rick Hill — U.S. Congressman from Montana
- 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
- Michael Sak — State Representative
- Harold S. Sawyer — U.S. Congressman
- Peter F. Secchia — U.S. Ambassador to Italy
- Glenn Steil Sr. — member of the Michigan Senate[25]
- William Alden Smith — U.S. Senator
- 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 — 98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court[29]
Military figures[]
- Roger Chaffee — NASA astronaut; U.S. Navy lieutenant commander[30]
- 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]
- Jack R. Lousma — NASA astronaut and U.S. Marine Corps colonel
- 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[]
- 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]
- Kevin Max — member of dc Talk
- Ken Medema — Christian musician
- John W. Peterson — Christian songwriter
- Mustard Plug — ska punk group
- Pop Evil — hard rock band
- Marvin Sapp — gospel singer
- Del Shannon — rock & roll musician
- Sleeping with Sirens — pop-rock 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[]
- 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
Criminals[]
Sports figures[]
- 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[35]
- Johnny Benson — NASCAR driver
- Ray Bentley — NFL player
- Harry Berrios — baseball player
- Devin Booker — NBA player
- Drayson Bowman — NHL player
- Jim Boylen — NBA assistant coach
- Cameron Bradfield — NFL player
- David Brandt — NFL player
- Carlton Brewster — NFL 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[36]
- 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
- 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
- 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
- Rick Kreuger — Major League Baseball player[37]
- Marion Ladewig — bowler
- Doc Lavan — MLB player
- Pete Lee — Olympic and world champion wrestler
- Bob Lurtsema — NFL player
- Buster Mathis, Jr. — heavyweight boxer
- Floyd Mayweather, Jr. — welterweight boxer[38]
- Floyd Mayweather, Sr. — welterweight boxer
- Jeff Mayweather — super featherweight boxer
- Roger Mayweather — welterweight boxer
- Sparky McEwen — football player[39]
- Greg Meyer — distance runner
- Rick Miller — MLB player
- Monté Morris — NBA player
- Terna Nande — NFL player
- Drew Neitzel — professional basketball player
- Jim Pace — NFL player
- Wally Pipp — Major League Baseball player
- Peter Quillin — middleweight boxer
- John Rienstra — NFL player
- Rueben Riley — NFL player
- Dathan Ritzenhein — distance runner[40]
- Rocky Rosema — NFL player
- Dave Rozema — MLB player
- Doris Satterfield — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
- 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[41]
- Dave Walsh — professional gamer
- Casper Wells — MLB player[42]
- Jack Wisner — MLB player[43]
Writers, novelists, poets and journalists[]
- Max Apple — short story writer, novelist and screenwriter
- Anne W. Armstrong — novelist
- William Brashler — novelist and journalist[44]
- 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[45]
- 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[46]
- Stewart Edward White — author
References[]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to People of Grand Rapids, Michigan. |
- ^ "Frederick Stuart Church: Holiday Illustrations from the Horst Collection". Traditional Fine Arts Organization. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
- ^ "Grand Rapids History & Special Collections" (PDF). Grand Rapids Public Library. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 13, 2010. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
- ^ "Fashion whiz Daniel Vosovic returns home to promote new book". The Grand Rapids Press. November 28, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
- ^ "History of the Bissell Carpet Sweeper". Kent County Michigan Genweb Project. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ "Richard DeVos". Forbes. September 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
- ^ "Anthony J. Diekema". Calvin College. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ "Movie theater may return to downtown GR". Grand Rapids: WOOD-TV. April 11, 2012. Archived from the original on April 14, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
- ^ a b "Hank & Doug Meijer". Forbes. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
- ^ "Syncbak Powers CBS All Access OTT Service" TVNewsCheck' '2014-10-16'
- ^ "Historical Background". Billy Graham Center. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "Biography Jay Van Andel". Alticor. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "Biography". The Official Gillian Anderson Website. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "Taylor Lautner Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "Andy Richter Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ Recker, Rachael (October 18, 2009). "Grand Rapids native Reed Timmer leads viewers into the eye of a tornado on 'Storm Chasers'". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved December 31, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Mayors of Grand Rapids, Michigan". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
- ^ "Congressman Vern Ehlers Announces Retirement". February 10, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ a b "A Common Man on an Uncommon Climb" (PDF). The New York Times. August 19, 1976. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "Mayor George Heartwell". City of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Archived from the original on October 26, 2010. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
- ^ "Henry, Paul B." Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "Land to Run for Governor". Lansing, MI: WILX-TV. Associated Press. February 19, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
- ^ "John H. Logie". Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ "Index to Politicians". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Working Her Fingers to the Bone: Agnes Nestor's Story". History Matters. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Glenn Steil obituary". Grand Rapids Press. May 11, 2010. Archived from the original on August 1, 2020.
- ^ "Arthur Hendrick Vandenberg / Vandenberg Center". The Michigan Historical Marker Web Site. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Former U.S. Congressman Guy Vander Jagt Dies". Hope College Office of Public Relations. June 22, 2007. Archived from the original on May 28, 2010. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Index to Politicians". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "The Honorable Martha L. Walters". Oregon Judicial Department. 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
- ^ "Roger B. Chaffee". Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. 1997. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ Haraburda, Scott S. (2013). Christian Controversies: Seeking the Truth. Meaningful Publications. pp. 50–53, 103, 221, 226. ISBN 978-0-9886072-0-0.
- ^ "Al Green: Biography". Retrieved February 27, 2008.
- ^ "La Dispute: Profile". AbsolutePunk.net Archived on archive.is. Archived from the original on February 21, 2013. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ "Whirlwind Heat Profile Apple iTunes". iTunes.
- ^ "Albrey Battle". all-xfl.com. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
- ^ 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."
- ^ "Rick Kreuger". baseball.com. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
- ^ Johnson, Chuck (December 6, 2007). "Mayweather dancing with success in and out of ring". USA Today. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
- ^ "Sparky's Total Athlete Factory". sparkystotalathletefactory.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
- ^ "Dathan Ritzenhein". U.S. Olympic Athletes. United States Olympic Committee. 2009. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
- ^ "Jared Veldheer". NFL. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
- ^ "Casper Wells Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 6, 2012.*
- ^ https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wisneja01.shtml.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ https://archives.calvin.edu/?p=collections/findingaid&id=21&q=&rootcontentid=9146
- ^ Granderson, LZ (May 14, 2010). "The late Gary Bond, friend and mentor". ESPN. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
- ^ "Chris Van Allsburg Biography". Chris Van Allsburg. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
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