List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan

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 artist
• 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 the 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 the Kent County Republican Committee; stepfather of Gerald Ford
• Arnold Gingrich — founder of Esquire magazine
• 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 the White House Consumer Advisory Council; economic adviser to the government of Tanzania, East Africa
• 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]
• John Pease — professor of sociology
• Jack Perry - founder of Syncbak, invented technology to replicate broadcast TV on the Internet ^[9]
• Marshall Purnell — president of the American Institute of Architects
• John Herman Randall, Jr. — professor of philosophy
• Lynn Rogers — biologist
• Charles Ryskamp — Princeton University professor 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
• 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
• Toni Jo Abbenante Farmer - Miss Michigan 1967
• 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
• Andy Richter — television and film actor^[14]
• Leonard Schrader — screenwriter and director
• Paul Schrader — screenwriter and director
• Richard Shoberg — 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
• 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]
• 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 from Michigan^[20]
• Rick Hill — U.S. Congressman from Montana
• Julius Houseman — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; 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]
• John H. Logie — mayor of Grand Rapids^[16][22]
• 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 — Michigan State Representative
• Harold S. Sawyer — U.S. Congressman from Michigan
• Peter F. Secchia — U.S. Ambassador to Italy
• William Alden Smith — U.S. Senator from Michigan
• K. William Stinson — U.S. Congressman from Washington
• Edwin F. Sweet — U.S. Congressman from Michigan; 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^[25]
• Guy Vander Jagt — U.S. Congressman from Michigan^[26]
• Richard VanderVeen — U.S. Congressman from Michigan^[27]
• Martha Lee Walters — 98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court^[28]

Military figures

• Roger Chaffee — NASA astronaut; U.S. Navy lieutenant commander^[29]
• 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^[30]
• 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
• Apollo Brown-Hip Hop Producer^[31]
• Mary Canberg — violinist
• 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
• Leo Sowerby — composer and musician
• Still Remains — metalcore group
• Casey Stratton—pop/rock musician
• Sam Stryke — composer and pianist
• Whirlwind Heat — alternative rock group
• 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
• Robert C. Gage — pastor of Wealthy Street Baptist Church and author
• 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

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^[34]
• Johnny Benson — NASCAR driver
• Ray Bentley — NFL player
• Harry Berrios — baseball player
• Devin Booker NBA 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
• 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
• Josh Kalis — skateboarder
• Chris Kaman — NBA player
• Stanley Ketchel — middleweight boxer
• Mike Knuble — NHL player
• Rick Kreuger — Major League Baseball player^[35]
• Marilyn Jenkins — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• 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^[36]
• Floyd Mayweather, Sr. — welterweight boxer
• Jeff Mayweather — super featherweight boxer
• Roger Mayweather — welterweight boxer
• Sparky McEwen - football player ^[37]
• Pete Mead — middleweight boxer
• Greg Meyer — distance runner
• Rick Miller — MLB 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^[38]
• 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
• James Toney — heavyweight boxer
• Tony Tucker — heavyweight boxer
• John Vander Wal — MLB player
• Loy Vaught — NBA player
• Jared Veldheer — NFL player^[39]
• Dave Walsh — professional gamer
• Casper Wells — MLB player^[40]
• Jack Wisner — MLB player^[41]

Writers, novelists, poets and journalists

• Max Apple — short story writer, novelist and screenwriter
• Anne W. Armstrong — novelist
• 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^[42]
• Harold King — author and journalist
• Lloyd Kropp — novelist, composer and educator
• Robie Macauley — novelist, literary critic and educator
• Patrick Maher — novelist
• Harold Matson — literary agent
• 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^[43]
• Stewart Edward White — author

References

1. "Frederick Stuart Church: Holiday Illustrations from the Horst Collection". Traditional Fine Arts Organization. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
2. "Grand Rapids History & Special Collections" (PDF). Grand Rapids Public Library. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
3. "Fashion whiz Daniel Vosovic returns home to promote new book". The Grand Rapids Press. November 28, 2008. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
4. "History of the Bissell Carpet Sweeper". Kent County Michigan Genweb Project. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
5. "Richard DeVos". Forbes. Forbes. September 2012. Retrieved February 26, 2013.
6. "Anthony J. Diekema". Calvin College. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
7. "Movie theater may return to downtown GR". Grand Rapids: WOOD-TV. April 11, 2012. Retrieved April 26, 2012.
8. "Hank & Doug Meijer". Forbes. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
9. "Syncbak Powers CBS All Access OTT Service" TVNewsCheck' '2014-10-16'
10. "Historical Background". Billy Graham Center. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
11. "Biography Jay Van Andel". Alticor. Archived from the original on March 16, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
12. "Biography". The Official Gillian Anderson Website. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
13. "Taylor Lautner Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
14. "Andy Richter Biography". TV Guide. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
15. 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.
16. "Mayors of Grand Rapids, Michigan". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved March 10, 2010.
17. "Congressman Vern Ehlers Announces Retirement". February 10, 2010. Archived from the original on March 4, 2010. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
18. "A Common Man on an Uncommon Climb". The New York Times. August 19, 1976. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
19. "Mayor George Heartwell". City of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Retrieved March 5, 2010.
20. "Henry, Paul B.". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
21. "Land to Run for Governor". Lansing, MI: WILX-TV. Associated Press. February 19, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2010.
22. "John H. Logie". Warner Norcross & Judd LLP. Archived from the original on March 23, 2010. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
23. "Index to Politicians". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
24. "Working Her Fingers to the Bone: Agnes Nestor's Story". History Matters. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
25. "Arthur Hendrick Vandenberg / Vandenberg Center". The Michigan Historical Marker Web Site. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
26. "Former U.S. Congressman Guy Vander Jagt Dies". Hope College Office of Public Relations. June 22, 2007. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
27. "Index to Politicians". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
28. "The Honorable Martha L. Walters". Oregon Judicial Department. 2009. Retrieved June 8, 2010.
29. "Roger B. Chaffee". Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. 1997. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
30. Haraburda, Scott S. (2013). Christian Controversies: Seeking the Truth. Meaningful Publications. pp. 50–53, 103, 221, 226. ISBN 978-0-9886072-0-0.
31. http://www.billboard.com/artist/6715585/apollo-brown/biography
32. "Al Green: Biography". Retrieved February 27, 2008.
33. "La Dispute: Profile". AbsolutePunk.net. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
34. "Albrey Battle". all-xfl.com. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
35. "Rick Kreuger". baseball.com. Retrieved July 4, 2010.
36. Johnson, Chuck (December 6, 2007). "Mayweather dancing with success in and out of ring". USA Today. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
37. "Sparky's Total Athlete Factory". sparkystotalathletefactory.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
38. "Dathan Ritzenhein". U.S. Olympic Athletes. United States Olympic Committee. 2009. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
39. "Jared Veldheer". NFL. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
40. "Casper Wells Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 6, 2012.*
41. http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wisneja01.shtml. Missing or empty |title= (help)
42. Granderson, LZ (May 14, 2010). "The late Gary Bond, friend and mentor". ESPN. Retrieved April 19, 2011.
43. "Chris Van Allsburg Biography". Chris Van Allsburg. Retrieved April 5, 2010.

External links

• Media related to People from Grand Rapids, Michigan at Wikimedia Commons