From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 .
Authors and academics
Name
Image
Birth
Death
Known for
Association
Reference
Charles J. Givens
Feb 5, 1941
Jul 12, 1998
Financial lecturer and author
Born in Decatur
Nathan H. Lents
Sep 22, 1978
Biologist, Professor, Author
Born in Decatur
James W. Loewen
Feb 6, 1942
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
Commerce
Name
Image
Birth
Death
Known for
Association
Reference
James Millikin
Aug 2, 1827
Mar 2, 1909
Founder of Millikin National Bank and Millikin University
Lived in Decatur
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
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
[1]
Brian Culbertson
Jan 12, 1973
Jazz musician
Born in Decatur
John Doe
Feb 25, 1954
Founder of L.A. punk band X
Born in Decatur
CeCe Frey
Jun 26, 1991
Pop singer featured on season 2 of The X Factor
From 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 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 [2]
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
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
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
Military
Name
Image
Birth
Death
Known for
Association
Reference
Hermann Lieb
May 24, 1826
Mar 5, 1908
Union Army officer
Lived in Decatur
Loren D. Hagen
Feb 25, 1946
Aug 7, 1971
United States Army first lieutenant - awarded Medal of Honor
1964 Graduate of MacArthur High School
[3]
Lemuel F. Holland
Jul 28, 1840
Jan 13, 1914
Union Army sergeant – awarded Medal of Honor
Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery)
Isaac C. Pugh
Nov 23, 1805
Nov 19, 1874
Union Army general
Born in Decatur
Benjamin W. Schenck
Aug 12, 1837
Feb 19, 1916
Union Army private – awarded Medal of Honor
Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery)
Philanthropist
Politics
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
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
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
Mar 16, 1930
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
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
Oct 17, 1955
Current Manager of Atlanta Braves
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
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
References