Anderson,
Gillian - Actress, ('Daina Scully')
of the "The X-Files"
Bean,
Gwenneth - Singer with Lyric Opera of
Chicago.
Bentley,
Ray - Former NFL linebacker for Buffalo
Bills, commentator for NFL on Fox
Benson, Jr., Johnny - Race car
driver
Chaffee,
Roger - Astronaut, killed 1967
in Apollo 1 accident. Grand Rapids Planetarium
named in his honor.
Debarge
- Former soul/pop singing group.
DeJonge,
Meindert - Writer; first
American to win Hans Christian Andersen Award
Devos, Richard - Made Forbes 400
Richest list, October, 1998. Ada, Michigan
(Amway).
DeVries,
Peter - Author/humorist;
attended Calvin College
Duncan,
Patrick - Author/director/screenwriter;
"Opus" based on Duncan's childhood
experience in West Michigan.
Dr.
Eldering, Dr. Kendrick and Grace Pearl -
Founders of the whooping cough vaccine.
Essink,
Ron - Tackle for the Seattle
Seahawks and championship wrestler
Ford,
Gerald R - President; 38th
President of the United States
Ford,
Betty - First Lady of the United States
Gingrich,
Arnold - Author; Founder of
Esquire magazine (1933, Chicago); author of
"Cast down the Laurel," Ernest
Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald showcased their
talent in Esquire magaizine.
Green,
Al - Soul and gospel singer; 1966
graduate of South High School
Hertz,
Adaam - of "American Pie"
Hockenberry,
John - Voice on National Public
Radio(NPR) for over 15 years; correspondent for
"Day One" ABC news magazine
Hogeboom,
Gary - Quarterback for Indianapolis
Colts
Huizenga,
Wayne - Owner of Blockbuster video and
Florida Panthers Hockey team; graduate of Calvin
College.
Ketchel,
Stanley - AKA "The Michigan
Assassin." - World Middleweight Boxing
Champion born in 1886 on the West Side. Killed by
gunshot. Funeral largest ever seen in Grand
Rapids with several thousand showing up at St.
Adelbert's.
Kiedis,
Anthony - Singer for Red Hot Chili
Peppers.
Lousma,
Jack R. - astronaut.
Luedtke,
Kurt - Screenwriter, "Out
of Africa" and "Absence of
Malice."
Mayweather,
Jr., Floyd - Boxer; 1996
Olympics bronze medal
Max,
Kevin - dcTalk ; memeber of a christain
rock group
Meijers
Family - Made Forbes Family Fortunes
list, October, 1998. Founded by Dutch immigrant,
Hendrik Meijer and now run by Fred Meijer.
Meyer,
Greg - Runner; 1983 Boston Marathon
winner
Wally
Pipp - Professional baseball player for
the Tigers, Yankees and Reds.
Leo and
Mark Peters - The late Leo Peters was
the inventor of the Butterball turkey
Rourke,
Constance - Author and historian
Rozema, Dave - Former pitcher
for Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers
Schrader,
Paul - Motion picture
producer/director/writer; including "Hard
Core" which was partially set and filmed in
Grand Rapids.
Secchia, Peter F. - Ambassador
to Italy, businessman.
Stanley, Mickey - Former center
fielder for Detroit Tigers.
Steigenga, Matt - Plays forward
for Chicago Bulls.
Van
Andel, Jay - Made Forbes 400 Richest
list, October, 1998. Ada, Michigan (Amway)
Van Allsburg, Chris - Writer and
illustrator of children's books; winner of
Caldecott Medal
Dirk J. Vlug - Congressional
Medal of Honor winner for gallantry in World War
II. Single-handedly destroyed five tanks and
their crews in the Philipines with a rocket
launcher and a pistol.
Wege,
Peter M. - Made Forbes 400 Richest list,
October, 1998. Grand Rapids, Michigan (Steelcase)
Whitten, Buddy - Professional
golfer.
Wilkins, Roger - Pulitzer Prize
winner and former assistant U.S. attorney
general; graduate of Creston High School
Wilson, Elizabeth - Actress
("The Graduate") and graduate of
Central High School
Zimmer,
Kim - Actress and star of "Guiding
Light", CBS soap opera.
Melville
and Anna Bissell - Melville Bissell
first developed the Bissell carpet sweeper in
1876 for his wife to use in their Grand Rapids
crockery shop.
