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The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Decatur, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Decatur, Illinois.
This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.Authors and academics
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Karl August Folkers | 
|
Sep 1, 1906 | Dec 7, 1991 | Biochemist known for work on the structure of coenzyme Q10 | Born in Decatur | |
| Charles J. Givens | Feb 5, 1941 | Jul 12, 1998 | Financial lecturer and author | Born in Decatur | ||
| Nathan H. Lents | 
|
Sep 22, 1978 | Biologist, professor, and author | Born in Decatur | ||
| James W. Loewen | Feb 6, 1942 | Aug 19, 2021 | Author, historian, and sociology professor | Born in Decatur | ||
| Richard Peck | 
|
Apr 10, 1934 | May 24, 2018 | Children's author; 2001 Newbery Medal winner | Born in Decatur | |
| Marvin A. Sweeney | Jul 4, 1953 | Author, biblical scholar, and professor | Grew up in Decatur | |||
| Alice S. Tyler | .jpg)
|
Apr 27, 1859 | Apr 18, 1944 | Librarian, president American Library Association 1920-1921 | Born in Decatur Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery) |
Commerce
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dwayne Andreas | Mar 4, 1918 | Nov 16, 2016 | Former CEO and chairman of Archer Daniels Midland ADM | Lived in Decatur Died in Decatur |
||
| James Millikin | .png)
|
Aug 2, 1827 | Mar 2, 1909 | Founder of Millikin National Bank and Millikin University | Lived in Decatur Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery) |
Crime
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charles E. Boles
(a.k.a. Black Bart) |
|
1829 | 1888 | Western outlaw | Lived in Decatur |
Media and arts
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Berry (broadcaster) | 
|
Aug 11, 1960 | Broadcasting journalist and management | Born in Decatur | ||
| Jenny Lou Carson | 
|
Jan 13, 1915 | Dec 16, 1978 | Country singer-songwriter inducted in Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame | Born in Decatur | |
| June Christy | .jpg)
|
Nov 20, 1925 | Jun 21, 1990 | Jazz singer | Grew up in Decatur | |
| Loren Coleman | Jul 12, 1947 | Author, cryptozoologist, radio and television personality | Grew up in Decatur | |||
| Dale Connelly | Oct 4, 1955 | Host of Minnesota Public Radio's Radio Heartland | ||||
| Brian Culbertson | .jpg)
|
Jan 12, 1973 | Jazz musician | Born in Decatur | ||
| Annamary Dickey | 
|
Apr 11, 1911 | June 1, 1999 | Soprano at the Metropolitan Opera and star of Broadway musicals | Born in Decatur | |
| John Doe | 
|
Feb 25, 1954 | Founder of L.A. punk band X | Born in Decatur | ||
| Thelma Given | 
|
Mar 9, 1896 | Dec 25, 1977 | Concert pianist | Raised in Decatur | |
| Chad Gray | 
|
Oct 16, 1971 | Singer of alternative metal band Mudvayne | Born in Latham | ||
| Jonathan Hammond | Filmmaker | Grew up in Decatur | ||||
| Steve Hunter | 
|
Jun 14, 1948 | Guitarist with Mitch Ryder, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, and Peter Gabriel | Born in Decatur | ||
| Alison Krauss | 
|
Jul 23, 1971 | Country/Bluegrass singer and songwriter; most-awarded singer in history of Grammy Awards | Born in Decatur | ||
| RonReaco Lee | Aug 27, 1977 | Actor (The Good Guys; Let's Stay Together) | Born in Decatur | |||
| Judy Martin | Jul 23, 1917 | Nov 17, 1951 | Country and gospel singer; wife of Red Foley | Born in Decatur | ||
| Nan Martin | Jul 15, 1927 | Mar 4, 2010 | Actress (Mr. Sunshine, The Thorn Birds, Santa Barbara, The Drew Carey Show) | Born in Decatur | ||
| Stephen Mason | .jpg)
|
Jul 8, 1975 | Guitar player for Jars of Clay | Grew up in Decatur | ||
| Boots Randolph | 
|
Jun 3, 1927 | Jul 3, 2007 | Jazz saxophonist; composer of Yakety Sax | Played with Dink Welch's Kopy Kats in Decatur (1948 to 1954) | |
| Emitt Rhodes | Feb 25, 1950 | Jul 19, 2020 | Singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and recording engineer | Born in Decatur | ||
| Herbert Ryman | Jun 28, 1910 | Feb 10, 1989 | Artist and Disney Imagineer | Grew up in Decatur | ||
| Jackie Spinner | Author, journalist, college professor; Fulbright Scholar | Grew up in Decatur | ||||
| Edwin B. Willis | Jan 28, 1893 | Nov 26, 1963 | Academy Award winning motion picture set designer & decorator | Born in Decatur |
Bands
| Name | Image | Founded | Disbanded | Music | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Icon For Hire | 
|
2007 | present | Rock band | Formed in Decatur | |
| V Shape Mind | 1999 | 2004 | Alternative rock band | Formed in Decatur |
Military
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loren D. Hagen | 
|
Feb 25, 1946 | Aug 7, 1971 | United States Army first lieutenant - awarded Medal of Honor | 1964 Graduate of MacArthur High School | |
| Lemuel F. Holland | Jul 28, 1840 | Jan 13, 1914 | Union Army sergeant – awarded Medal of Honor | Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery) | ||
| Hermann Lieb | May 24, 1826 | Mar 5, 1908 | Union Army officer | Lived in Decatur | ||
| Isaac C. Pugh | Nov 23, 1805 | Nov 19, 1874 | Union Army general | Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery) | ||
| James H. Rupp | May 17, 1918 | Sep 30, 1998 | United States Navy lieutenant commander | Lived in Decatur | ||
| Benjamin W. Schenck | Aug 12, 1837 | Feb 19, 1916 | Union Army private – awarded Medal of Honor | Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery) |
Philanthropist
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howard Warren Buffett | 
|
Oct 14, 1983 | Faculty member at Columbia University; trustee of the Howard G. Buffett Foundation | Lived in Decatur | ||
| Connie Boochever | Jul 5, 1919 | 1999 | Patron and advocate for the arts; member of Alaska Women's Hall of Fame | Born in Decatur | ||
| Elizabeth Parke Firestone | 
|
Nov 15, 1897 | Oct 13, 1990 | Patron and collector of rare art pieces, widow of Harvey S. Firestone Jr. | Born in Decatur |
Politics
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesse Hale Moore | 
|
Apr 22, 1817 | Jul 11, 1883 | U.S. Representative from Illinois | Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery) | |
| Rolla C. McMillen | Oct 5, 1880 | May 6, 1961 | U.S. Representative from Illinois | Lived in Decatur | ||
| Richard James Oglesby | 
|
Jul 25, 1824 | Apr 24, 1899 | U.S. senator and the 14th governor of Illinois | Grew up in Decatur | |
| Thomas D. Westfall | May 14, 1927 | Mar 7, 2005 | Mayor of El Paso, Texas | Born in Decatur |
Sports
Baseball
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walter "Boom-Boom" Beck | 
|
Oct 16, 1904 | May 7, 1987 | Pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams | Born in Decatur | |
| Chuck Dressen | .png)
|
Sep 20, 1894 | Aug 10, 1966 | Manager and coach for six Major League Baseball teams, 2-time World Series champion | Born in Decatur | |
| Harry East | 1862 | 1905 | Infielder for Baltimore Orioles | Born in Decatur | ||
| Jeff Innis | Jul 5, 1962 | Jan 30, 2022 | Pitcher for New York Mets | Born in Decatur | ||
| Kevin Koslofski | Sep 24, 1966 | Outfielder for Kansas City Royals and Milwaukee Brewers | Born in Decatur | |||
| Hobie Landrith | .jpg)
|
Mar 16, 1930 | Apr 6, 2023 | Catcher and coach for seven Major League Baseball teams | Born in Decatur | |
| Fred T. Long | Jan 22, 1896 | Mar 23, 1966 | Baseball player in Negro leagues; college football coach | Born in Decatur | ||
| Bill Madlock | Jan 12, 1951 | Third baseman for Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers, 4-time NL batting champion | Grew up in Decatur | |||
| Joe McGinnity | Mar 20, 1871 | Nov 14, 1929 | MLB pitcher from 1899-1908, won 246 games, inducted 1946 in Baseball Hall of Fame | Grew up in Decatur | ||
| Dan Porter | Oct 17, 1931 | Jan 7, 2017 | Outfielder for Washington Senators | Born in Decatur | ||
| Kevin Roberson | Jan 29, 1968 | Outfielder for Chicago Cubs and New York Mets | Born in Decatur | |||
| Art Scharein | Jun 30, 1905 | Jul 2, 1969 | Infielder for St Louis Browns | Born in Decatur | ||
| George Scharein | Nov 21, 1914 | Dec 23, 1981 | Shortstop for Philadelphia Phillies | Born in Decatur | ||
| Jack Sheridan | 1862 | Nov 2, 1914 | Umpire (1890–1914), worked at four World Series including Cubs' victory of 1908 | Born in Decatur | ||
| Roe Skidmore | Oct 30, 1945 | Pinch-hitter for Chicago Cubs, rare MLB player with batting average of 1.000 | Born in Decatur | |||
| Brian Snitker | .JPG)
|
Oct 17, 1955 | Manager of Atlanta Braves (2016-Present) | Born in Decatur | ||
| Del Unser | Dec 9, 1944 | Center fielder for Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, New York Mets, Montreal Expos and Philadelphia Phillies | Born in Decatur |
Basketball
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LaToya Bond | Feb 13, 1984 | Guard for the Indiana Fever (WNBA) | Born in Decatur | |||
| Todd Day | Jan 7, 1970 | Shooting guard for five National Basketball Association teams | Born in Decatur | |||
| Luke Harangody | 
|
Jan 2, 1988 | Forward for the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers | Born in Decatur |
Football
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Avant | 
|
Apr 20, 1983 | Wide receiver for the Kansas City Chiefs | Attended MacArthur High School in Decatur | ||
| Steve Fairchild | Jun 21, 1958 | Head football coach at Colorado State University | Born in Decatur | |||
| George Halas | 
|
Feb 2, 1895 | Oct 31, 1983 | Founder of the Decatur Staleys, which became the Chicago Bears | Lived in Decatur | |
| Harry Long | Dec 28, 1897 | Dec 8, 1945 | College football coach and Wiley College biology professor | Born in Decatur | ||
| Brit Miller | 
|
Sep 15, 1986 | Fullback for the St. Louis Rams | Born in Decatur | ||
| Dante Ridgeway | Apr 18, 1984 | Wide receiver for the New York Jets, St. Louis Rams and New Orleans Saints | Grew up in Decatur, MacArthur High School graduate |
Other sports
| Name | Image | Birth | Death | Known for | Association | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guy Carlton | 
|
Jan 16, 1954 | May 11, 2001 | weightlifter Olympic medal winner | Went to High School in Decatur | |
| Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls | Apr 23, 1968 | IFBB bodybuilder | Grew up in Decatur | |||
| Penny Hammel | Mar 24, 1962 | Golfer on the LPGA Tour | Born in Decatur |
References
- Olson, R E (September 1, 2001). "Karl August Folkers (1906–1997)". Journal of Nutrition. 131 (9): 2227–30. doi:10.1093/jn/131.9.2227. PMID 11533258.
- "Get-Rich Guru Charles J. Givens Dies". The Washington Post. Fred Ryan. July 1998. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
- McFadden, Robert (20 August 2021). "James W. Loewen, Who Challenged How History Is Taught, Dies at 79". The New York Times. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- Health Science Librarians of Illinois News Letter, Vol. 22, Issue ¾, page 6
- Evans, Julia Dixon (2020-06-09). "'Expect A Miracle': A Pandemic And A Boiling Point". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2022-11-28.
- Greene, Andy (11 November 2020). "Guitarist Steve Hunter on His Journey From 'Berlin' to 'Billion Dollar Babies'". Rolling Stone. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved 14 October 2021.
- Todd Leopold (2009-02-09). "Plant, Krauss rise with 'Raising Sand' at Grammys". CNN. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
- Fallstrom, Bob (November 8, 2010). "Honoring 'a natural born leader'". Herald & Review. Retrieved December 11, 2016.