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Contents

   



(Top)
  


1 Artists and artisans  




2 Business, industry, academic and labor figures  




3 Criminals  




4 Entertainment figures  




5 Government officials, politicians and activists  




6 Military figures  




7 Musicians and bands  




8 Religious figures  




9 Science  




10 Sports figures  




11 Writers, novelists, poets and journalists  




12 References  













List of people from Grand Rapids, Michigan







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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  

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]

Business, industry, academic and labor figures[edit]

  • 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]

  • 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]

  • 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]
  • 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 — 98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court[29]
  • Gretchen Whitmer — Governor of Michigan [30]

    • 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]

  • 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]

    • 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]

    Sports figures[edit]

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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[37]
  • 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
  • Julie Glass — roller derby and competitive speed skater
  • 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[38]
  • Rick Kreuger — Major League Baseball player[39]
  • Marion Ladewig — bowler
  • Doc Lavan — MLB player
  • Pete Lee — Olympic and world champion wrestler
  • Bob Lurtsema — NFL player
  • Mitch Lyons — NFL player[40]
  • Buster Mathis Jr. — heavyweight boxer
  • Jalen Mayfield — NFL player
  • Floyd Mayweather Jr. — welterweight boxer[41]
  • Floyd Mayweather Sr. — welterweight boxer
  • Jeff Mayweather — super featherweight boxer
  • Roger Mayweather — welterweight boxer
  • Sparky McEwen — football player[42]
  • 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[43]
  • 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[44]
  • Rocky Rosema — NFL player
  • Dave Rozema — MLB player
  • Doris Satterfield — All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
  • Steve Scheffler — NBA player[45]
  • 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[46]
  • Dave Walsh — professional gamer
  • Casper Wells — MLB player[47]
  • Jack Wisner — MLB player[48]

    • Writers, novelists, poets and journalists[edit]

    • Max Apple — short story writer, novelist and screenwriter
  • Anne W. Armstrong — novelist
  • William Brashler — novelist and journalist[49]
  • 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[50]
  • 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[51]
  • Stewart Edward White — author

    • References[edit]

    Wikimedia Commons has media related to People of Grand Rapids, Michigan.
    1. ^ "Frederick Stuart Church: Holiday Illustrations from the Horst Collection". Traditional Fine Arts Organization. Retrieved April 3, 2010.
  • ^ "Collection: Illustrations and papers of Kreigh T. Collins | Grand Rapids History Center". Grand Rapids Public Library Archives. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  • ^ "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.
  • ^ "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.
  • ^ https://thecentraltrend.com/13375/showcase/senator-gretchen-whitmer-fhc-alumna-running-for-governor/
  • ^ 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.
  • ^ "Roger B. Chaffee". Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. 1997. Retrieved April 5, 2010.
  • ^ "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."
  • ^ Greg, Chrapek (February 10, 2017). "Basketball a family tradition for Kozal family at Forest Hills Northern". mlive. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
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  • ^ "Sparky's Total Athlete Factory". sparkystotalathletefactory.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
  • ^ Van Gilder, Rachel; Doles, Jack (December 28, 2023). "Forest Hills Northern grad drafted to Major League Soccer". WOOD-TV.
  • ^ "Dathan Ritzenhein". U.S. Olympic Athletes. United States Olympic Committee. 2009. Archived from the original on March 8, 2010. Retrieved December 17, 2010.
  • ^ Gr, Steve Vedder | The; Press, Rapids (March 24, 2011). "Ex-local stars Steve Scheffler, David Kool to speak at Fellowship of Christian Athletes breakfast". mlive. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  • ^ "Jared Veldheer". NFL. Retrieved August 17, 2010.
  • ^ "Casper Wells Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 6, 2012.*
  • ^ "Jack Wisner Stats".
  • ^ "William Brashler Collection, 1968-1993 | Heritage Hall, Hekman Library".
  • ^ 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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