- List of people associated with Grand Rapids, Michigan
The following is a list of people associated with
Grand Rapids, Michigan . These people were born, lived, or worked in and around Grand Rapids.Architects
*
Hugh Newell Jacobsen – Modernist architectArtists and artisans
*
Mathias Alten – impressionist painter
*Jeffrey Brown – comic book artist
*Frederick Stuart Church – illustrator
* Paul Collins – painter
*Dirk Gringhuis – illustrator
*Serinity Knight – sculptorBusiness, industry, academic and labor figures
*
Clayton Allen – entrepreneur
*Steve Belkin – founder and chairman of Trans National Group
*Hattie Beverly – teacher
*Owen Bieber – president of the United Auto Workers
*Anna Sutherland Bissell – chief executive officer of Bissell
*Jack Clifford – founder of the Food Network
*Dick DeVos – chief executive officer of Amway
*Richard DeVos – co-founder of Amway
*Keith DeVries – archaeologist
*Mary de Young – professor of sociology and author
*Anthony Diekema – president of Calvin College
*Gerald Rudolff Ford – businessman and chairman of the Kent County Republican Committee
*Arnold Gingrich – founder of Esquire Magazine
*John A. Hannah – president of Michigan State College
*H. Wayne Huizenga – entrepreneur
*Jack Loeks – movie theater entrepreneur
*M. Peter McPherson – president of Michigan State University and chairman of Dow Jones
*John Pease – professor of sociology
*Marshall Purnell – president of the American Institute of Architects
*John Herman Randall, Jr. – professor of philosophy
*Henry F. Schaefer, III – professor of chemistry
*L. William Seidman – economist and financial commentator
*Ossian Cole Simonds – landscape designer
*Mel Trotter – rescue mission director
*Jay Van Andel – co-founder of Amway
*Roger Wilkins – civil rights leader and professor
*Charles Sumner Burch – editor of the Grand Rapids' Evening PressEntertainment figures
*
Toni Jo Abbenante Farmer – Miss Michigan 1967
*Gillian Anderson – television and film actress
*Otto Brower – film director
*James T. Callahan – film and television actor
*Horace B. Carpenter – film actor and director
*Riley Chamberlin – silent film actor
*Rex Cherryman – stage and film actor
*Shawn Christian – television and film actor
*Wanda Cochran – soprano
*Patrick Elkins – performance artist and musician
*Steven Ford – television and film actor
*Becky Gable – martial artist
*Stephen Goosson – film set designer
*Lorna Gray – film actress
*Stacey Haiduk – television actress
*Adam Herz – screenwriter and producer
*Jimmy Jacobs – professional wrestler
*Matt Keeslar – television and film actor
*James Kirkwood, Sr. – film actor and director
*Eric Allan Kramer – television, film and stage actor
*Taylor Lautner – television and film actor
*Victor Lundberg – radio personality
*Violet MacMillan – vaudeville, stage and silent film actress
*Kevin Matthews – radio personality
* Ryan O'Reilly – professional wrestler
*Colleen O'Shaughnessey – voice actress
*Wally Phillips – radio personality
*Andy Richter – television and film actor
*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
*Jess Walton – television actress
*Elizabeth Wilson – stage, television and film actress
*Dick York – television, stage, radio and film actor
*Kim Zimmer – television and stage actressGovernment officials, politicians and activists
*
Russell A. Alger – governor of Michigan and U.S. Secretary of War
* John Ball – pioneer and member of the Michigan State Legislature
*Charles E. Belknap – Union Army Captain and U.S. Congressman
*Harvey Hollister Bundy – Special Assistant to the U.S. Secretary of War
*Charles C. Comstock – U.S. Congressman from Michigan and mayor of Grand Rapids
*Vern Ehlers – U.S. Congressman from Michigan
* Gerald R. Ford – 38th President of the United States
*Betty Ford – 37th First Lady of the United States
*Wilder D. Foster – U.S. Congressman from Michigan and mayor of Grand Rapids
*Rick Hill – U.S. Congressman from Montana
*Julius Houseman – U.S. Congressman from Michigan and mayor of Grand Rapids
*Bartel J. Jonkman – U.S. Congressman from Michigan
*Frank Knox – U.S. Secretary of the Navy
*Terri Lynn Land – Michigan Secretary of State
*John H. Logie – mayor of Grand Rapids
*Frederick Henry Mueller – U.S. Secretary of Commerce
*Agnes Nestor – women's suffrage and workers' rights activist
*Michael Sak – Michigan State Representative
*William Alden Smith – U.S. Senator from Michigan
*K. William Stinson – U.S. Congressman from Washington
*Edwin F. Sweet – U.S. Congressman from Michigan and mayor of Grand Rapids
*Jerald terHorst – press secretary under President Gerald Ford
*Edwin F. Uhl – U.S. Assistant Secretary of State and mayor of Grand Rapids
*Arthur H. Vandenberg – 88th President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate
*Guy Vander Jagt – U.S. Congressman from Michigan
*Richard VanderVeen – U.S. Congressman from Michigan
*Martha Lee Walters – 98th Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme CourtMilitary figures
* Roger B. Chaffee – NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy lieutenant commander
*Eugene F. George – U.S. Navy sailor and Navy Cross recipient
* Jack Lousma – NASA astronaut and U.S. Marine Corps colonel
*John C. Sjogren – U.S. Army Staff Sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient
*Dirk J. Vlug – U.S. Army Private First Class and Medal of Honor recipientMusicians and bands
*
Ralston Bowles – folk musician
*Xavier Davis – jazz pianist
*DeBarge – R&B/soul group
*Al Green – R&B/soul singer
*Bob Hay – member of the Squalls
*Adina Howard – R&B singer
*Maynard James Keenan – lead singer of Tool
*Anthony Kiedis – lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers
*Kevin Max – member of dc Talk
*Ken Medema – Christian musician
*John W. Peterson – Christian songwriter
*Mustard Plug – ska punk group
*Marvin Sapp – gospel singer
*Del Shannon – rock & roll musician
*Still Remains – metalcore group
*Leo Sowerby – composer and musician
*Casey Stratton – pop/rock musician
*Sam Stryke – composer and pianist
*Whirlwind Heat – alternative rock group
* Jason Wood – lead singer of It Dies TodayReligious figures
*
Rob Bell – founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church and author
*Martin H. Carmody – Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus
*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 G. Pinten – Bishop of Grand Rapids
*Edmund Szoka – President of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City Stateports figures
*
George Andrie – National Football League player
*Dan Archer – National Football League player
*Paul Assenmacher – Major League Baseball player
*Jim Avery – National Football League player
*John Barnum – PGA Tour golfer
*Terry Barr – National Football League player
*Johnny Benson – NASCAR driver
*Ray Bentley – National Football League player
*Harry Berrios – baseball player
*Jim Boylen – National Basketball Association assistant coach
*David Brandt – National Football League player
*Carlton Brewster – National Football League player
*Kelly Butler – National Football League player
*Geno Carlisle – basketball player
* Justin Clark – International Hockey League player
*Al DeVormer – Major League Baseball player
*Mark Dewey – Major League Baseball player
*Brian Diemer – track and field athlete
*Mike Donald – PGA Tour golfer
*Jim Dreyer – ultra marathon athlete
*Mike Dumas – National Football League player
*Katie Feenstra – Women's National Basketball Association player
*Julius Franks – All-American college football player
*Brent Gates – Major League Baseball player
*Paul G. Goebel – National Football League player, naval officer and mayor of Grand Rapids
*Paul Grasmanis – National Football League player
*Ben Handlogten – National Basketball Association player
* David Harris – National Football League player
*Josh Kalis – skateboarder
*Chris Kaman – National Basketball Association player
*Stanley Ketchel – middleweight boxer
*Mike Knuble – National Hockey League player
*Michael Kooreman – speed skater
*Marion Ladewig – bowler
*Doc Lavan – Major League Baseball player
*Buster Mathis, Jr. – heavyweight boxer
*Floyd Mayweather, Jr. – welterweight boxer
*Floyd Mayweather, Sr. – welterweight boxer
*Jeff Mayweather – super featherweight boxer
*Roger Mayweather – welterweight boxer
*Pete Mead – middleweight boxer
*Greg Meyer – distance runner
* Rick Miller – Major League Baseball player
*Terna Nande – National Football League player
*Drew Neitzel – Basketball Bundesliga player
*Jim Pace – National Football League player
*Wally Pipp – Major League Baseball player
*John Rienstra – National Football League player
*Rueben Riley – National Football League player
*Dave Rozema – Major League Baseball player
*Joe Soboleski – National Football League player
*Mickey Stanley – Major League Baseball player
*Matt Steigenga – National Basketball Association player
*Frank Steketee – All-American college football player
*Lou Stringer – Major League Baseball player
*Tony Tucker – heavyweight boxer
*John Vander Wal – Major League Baseball player
*Loy Vaught – National Basketball Association playerWriters, novelists, and poets
*
Max Apple – short story writer, novelist and screenwriter
*Andrew Britton – novelist
*Robert Forrest Burgess – outdoors writer and photographer
*Peter De Vries – editor and novelist
*Lloyd Kropp – novelist, composer and educator
*Patrick Maher – novelist
*Ander Monson – novelist and poet
*Mary Jo Salter – poet
*Michael Talbot – science writer
*Chris Van Allsburg – children's author and illustrator
*Stewart Edward White – author
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