FAMOUS NATIVES
- 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
- Meijer 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. Author of The Polar Express.
- 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.
INTERESTING INFORMATION
- Population: 197,800
- First to put floride in the public drinking water
- First baseball game played on a lighted diamond. East Grand Rapids.
- First city to use hydro-electric power
- First African-American Operated Railway in the U.S. was in Grand Rapids.
- Frances Rutherford was appointed Grand Rapids city physician, she is the first to have such a title in the US
- Roberta Griffith compiled the first Braille dictionary here.
- Steelcase Inc., is the world's largest manufacturer of metal office furniture. A Grand Rapids company.
- The nation's first carpet sweeper was invented and patented by Melville R. Bissel in 1896 in Grand Rapids.
- The nations first regularly scheduled air passenger service began operation between Grand Rapids and Detroit.
- First commercially-prepared baby food was invented by Daniel F. Gerber. Metro Grand Rapids.
*Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~mikent/biographies/famouspeople.html