List of people from Decatur, Illinois

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
James W. Loewen		February 6, 1942		Author, historian, and sociology professor	Born in Decatur
Richard Peck		April 10, 1934		Children's author; 2001 Newbery Medal winner	Born in Decatur
Marvin A. Sweeney		July 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	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
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
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 the history of the Grammys	Born in Decatur
RonReaco Lee		Aug 27, 1977		Actor (The Good Guys; Let's Stay Together)	Born in Decatur
Jacqueline Logan		Nov 30, 1904	Apr 4, 1983	Silent film actor, The King of Kings, A Blind Bargain, Java Head	Buried in Decatur (Greenwood Cemetery)
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)	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		June 28, 1910	February 10, 1989	Artist and Disney Imagineer	Grew up in Decatur
Jackie Spinner				Author, journalist, college professor; Fulbright Scholar	Grew up 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
Hermann Lieb		May 24, 1826	Mar 5, 1908	Union Army officer	Lived in Decatur
Lemuel F. Holland		Jul 28, 1840	Jan 13, 1914	Union Army sergeant – awarded Metal 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 Metal 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

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		Sep 20, 1894	Aug 10, 1966	Manager and coach for six Major League Baseball teams	Born in Decatur
Harry East		1862	1905	Infielder for the Baltimore Orioles	Born in Decatur
Jeff Innis		Jul 5, 1962		Pitcher for the New York Mets	Born in Decatur
Kevin Koslofski		Sep 24, 1966		Outfielder for the 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 the Negro Leagues; college football coach	Born in Decatur
Bill Madlock		Jan 12, 1951		Third baseman for the Texas Rangers, Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers	Grew up in Decatur
Dan Porter		Oct 17, 1931		Outfielder for the Washington Senators	Born in Decatur
Kevin Roberson		Jan 29, 1968		Outfielder for the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets	Born in Decatur
Art Scharein		Jun 30, 1905	Jul 2, 1969	Infielder for the St Louis Browns	Born in Decatur
George Scharein		Nov 21, 1914	Dec 23, 1981	Shortstop for the 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 the Chicago Cubs, rare MLB player with batting average of 1.000	Born in Decatur
Brian Snitker		Oct 17, 1955		Manager of Atlanta Braves' Triple-A team the Gwinnett Braves	Born in Decatur
Del Unser		Dec 9, 1944		Center fielder for the 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

Other sports

Name	Image	Birth	Death	Known for	Association	Reference
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