List of people from Aurora, Illinois

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Aurora, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Aurora, Illinois.

Arts and culture

Art and architecture

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Ruth VanSickle Ford Aug 8, 1897 Apr 18, 1989 Owner of the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts Grew up in Aurora
Frank Howell Holden Jun 8, 1870 May 29, 1937 Architect Grew up in Aurora

Film, radio, and television

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
John Barrowman Mar 11, 1967 Actor and singer Father was employed in Aurora
Cisco Cotto Sep 22, 1975 Radio news anchor and pastor Born in Aurora [1]
Kimberly Donley Dec 15, 1965 Adult model and actress Born in Aurora
John Drury Jan 4, 1927 Nov 25, 2007 Longtime Chicago news anchorman Raised in Aurora [2]
Andrea Evans Jun 18, 1957 Jul 9, 2023 Emmy-nominated actress Born in Aurora
Stana Katic Apr 26, 1978 Actress, co-star of ABC's Castle Attended West Aurora High School
Jim McGuinn Feb 13, 1966 Radio personality and program director Born in Aurora
Hayden Rolence Actor Lives in Aurora
Paul Scheuring Nov 20, 1968 Screenwriter and director Born in Aurora
Tom Skilling Feb 20, 1952 Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV meteorologist Born in Aurora
Phillip Edward Van Lear Actor Born in Aurora

Music

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Jackie DeShannon Aug 21, 1941 Singer-songwriter
Gene Greene

(a.k.a. The Ragtime King)

Jun 9, 1857 Apr 5, 1930 Entertainer, singer and composer Born in Aurora
Kenneth W. Griffin Dec 28, 1909 Mar 11, 1956 Organist Lived in Aurora and is buried there
Dave Johnston Banjoist, singer, Yonder Mountain String Band
Jeff Olson Jul 14, 1962 Musician Raised in Aurora and taught music there
Maud Powell Aug 22, 1867 Jan 8, 1920 Violinist Began violin and piano lessons in Aurora in 1874 [3]
Carl Thomas Jun 15, 1972 R&B singer Attended East Aurora High School
Ray White Soul vocalist and rock and blues guitarist; member of Frank Zappa's touring ensembles

Writing and journalism

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Clive Cussler Jul 15, 1931 Feb 24, 2020 Adventure novelist and marine archaeologist Born in Aurora
M. Miriam Herrera Author and poet Raised in Aurora
Thom Jones Jan 26, 1945 Short story writer Raised in Aurora
Elizabeth Linington Mar 11, 1921 Apr 5, 1988 Prolific novelist Born in Aurora
Mabel O'Donnell 1890 1985 Wrote the Alice and Jerry basal reader series Attended East Aurora High School
Vernon Louis Parrington Aug 3, 1871 Jun 16, 1929 Pulitzer Prize-winning historian; college football coach Born in Aurora
Nicole Peeler 1978 Novelist Born in Aurora
Mary Foot Seymour 1846 Mar 21, 1893 New York journalist, business woman, school founder Born in Aurora [4]
Randy Shilts Aug 8, 1951 Feb 17, 1994 Pioneering gay journalist and author
Valerie Taylor Sep 7, 1913 Oct 22, 1997 Author of lesbian pulp fiction novels and poetry Born in Aurora

Business and administrative

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
James Compton Apr 7, 1939 Former president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League Born in Aurora
Jeffrey Skilling Nov 25, 1953 Former CEO of Enron Corporation Attended West Aurora High School

Law and crime

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Pericles Abassi 1984 Lawyer and online personality Born in Aurora
Rita B. Garman Nov 19, 1943 Justice of the Supreme Court of Illinois Born in Aurora
Edna Murray 1898 1966 Depression-era outlaw
Roy Solfisburg 1912 1991 Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme Court Born in Aurora

Military

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
James H. Monroe Oct 17, 1944 Feb 16, 1967 Combat medic in the Vietnam War and recipient of the Medal of Honor Born in Aurora
Walter E. Truemper Oct 31, 1918 Feb 20, 1944 Member of the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II and recipient of the Medal of Honor Born in Aurora
Lester W. Weber Jul 30, 1948 Feb 23, 1969 U.S. Marine and recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam Born in Aurora

Politics

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Mark Catlin, Sr. Nov 12, 1882 May 16, 1956 State legislator Wisconsin; head football coach at University of Iowa Born in Aurora
Thomas E. Coleman Feb 23, 1893 1964 Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin Born in Aurora
Ira Clifton Copley Oct 25, 1864 Nov 1, 1947 U.S. congressman and founder of Copley
Michael J. Davis Born Jul 21, 1947 Born in Cincinmati, OH, raised in Aurora, chief Justice of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Suzanne Deuchler Jul 21, 1929 Jun 24, 2022 Illinois state congresswoman
Charles Henry Dietrich Nov 26, 1853 Apr 10, 1924 U.S. senator from and 11th governor of Nebraska Born in Aurora
Matt Hanson May 17, 1973 State Representative Lived in Aurora
Dennis Hastert Jan 2, 1942 Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Born in Aurora
Phillip E. Johnson Jun 18, 1940 Nov 2, 2019 Retired law professor and author Born in Aurora
Chris Lauzen Dec 30, 1952 Illinois state senator Born in Aurora
Linda Chapa LaVia Aug 16, 1966 Illinois state congressman Born in Aurora
Patricia Reid Lindner Nov 29, 1939 Illinois state congressman Born in Aurora
Lewis M. Long Jun 22, 1883 Sep 9, 1957 U.S. congressman Attended schools in Aurora
Tim Mahoney Aug 16, 1956 U.S. congressman from Florida Born in Aurora
Scott B. Palmer Nov 22, 1950 Former Chief of Staff to U.S. congressman Dennis Hastert Attended Aurora University
Robert W. Pritchard Mar 31, 1945 Illinois state congressman Born in Aurora
Charlotte Thompson Reid Sep 27, 1913 Jan 25, 2007 U.S. congresswoman Lived and died in Aurora
Frank R. Reid Apr 18, 1879 Jan 25, 1945 U.S. congressman Born in Aurora
Tom Weisner 1949 2018 Mayor of Aurora

Religion

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Nathaniel Popp Jun 12, 1940 Archbishop of the Orthodox Church in America's Romanian Episcopate Born in Aurora
Vasile Louis Puscas Sep 13, 1915 Oct 3, 2009 Bishop emeritus of the Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St George's in Canton Born in Aurora
Alexander Raţiu May 4, 1916 Jul 25, 2002 Romanian Greek-Catholic priest, political prisoner, and author Lived and died in Aurora

Science

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Henry Gale Sep 12, 1874 Nov 16, 1942 Astrophysicist and author Born in Aurora
Frank Haven Hall Feb 9, 1841 1911 Inventor of the Hall Braille Writer and other Braille printing devices Lived and died in Aurora
James F. Phillips Nov 20, 1930 Oct 3, 2001 Environmental activist Born in Aurora
Martha E. Sloan 1939 Electrical engineer, the first female president of the IEEE Born in Aurora
G. David Tilman Jul 22, 1949 Ecologist and college professor Born in Aurora

Sports

Baseball

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Rich Becker Feb 1, 1972 Outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams Born in Aurora
Michael Bowden Sep 9, 1986 Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs Attended Waubonsie Valley High School
Mark Grant Oct 24, 1963 Pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams Born in Aurora
Bob Johnson Apr 25, 1943 Pitcher for five Major League Baseball teams Born in Aurora
Ken Jungels Jun 23, 1916 Sep 9, 1975 Pitcher for Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates Born in Aurora
Bob Kipper Jul 8, 1964 Relief pitcher for California Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins Born in Aurora
Mario Ramos Oct 19, 1977 Pitcher for Texas Rangers Born in Aurora
Jim Reninger Mar 7, 1915 Aug 23, 1993 Pitcher for Philadelphia Athletics Born in Aurora

Basketball

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Kenny Battle Oct 10, 1964 Small forward for several NBA teams Born in Aurora
Ryan Boatright Dec 27, 1992 Point guard UConn 2014 National Championship team Born in Aurora
Bob Carney Aug 3, 1932 Nov 9, 2011 Shooting guard for the Minneapolis Lakers Born in Aurora
Bob Lavoy Jun 29, 1926 Dec 18, 2010 NBA player of early 1950s Born in Aurora
John Mauer Sep 4, 1901 Dec 20, 1978 Basketball head coach, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida Born in Aurora
Jim Platt Mar 1, 1952 College basketball assistant and head coach Born in Aurora

Football

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Marger Apsit Jun 5, 1909 Dec 22, 1988 Running back for four National Football League teams Born in Aurora
Kurt Becker Dec 22, 1958 Guard for Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams; Super Bowl XX champion Born in Aurora
Don Beebe Dec 18, 1964 Wide receiver for Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and Green Bay Packers; Super Bowl XXXI champion Born in Aurora; head football coach at Aurora Christian and later at Aurora University
Brad Childress Jun 27, 1956 Pro and college football coach, head coach of Minnesota Vikings 2006-10 Born in Aurora
Larry English Jan 22, 1986 Linebacker for San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Born in Aurora
Ralph Galloway Aug 27, 1946 Guard in Canadian Football League 1969–79 Born in Aurora
Andy Gustafson Apr 3, 1903 Jan 7, 1979 Head coach in College Football Hall of Fame Born in Aurora
Roy Horstmann Dec 6, 1910 Jan 23, 1998 Running back for Boston Redskins and Chicago Cardinals Born in Aurora
Joe Krakoski Nov 11, 1962 Linebacker for Washington Redskins Born in Aurora
Randy Melvin Apr 3, 1959 Defensive line coach for Cleveland Browns Born in Aurora
Andy Sabados Nov 24, 1916 Jul 5, 2004 Guard for NFL's Chicago Cardinals Born in Aurora
Steve Thompson Jun 24, 1965 Defensive tackle for Washington Redskins Born in Aurora

Golf

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Mike Small Mar 4, 1966 College coach and PGA Tour player Born in Aurora

Gymnastics

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Anna Li Sep 4, 1988 Artistic gymnast; member of the U.S. National Team; an alternate at the Summer 2012 London Olympics Graduated from Waubonsie Valley High School; lives in Aurora
Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Zachary Taylor Davis May 26, 1872 Dec 16, 1946 Architect of Old Comiskey Park (1910), Wrigley Field (1914) Born in Aurora
Chick Hearn Nov 27, 1916 Aug 5, 2002 Sportscaster for the Los Angeles Lakers Born in Aurora

Soccer

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Wyatt Borso Mar 8, 2004 Forward Hometown [5]
Quavas Kirk Apr 13, 1988 Defender and forward Born in Aurora

Track and field

Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Tom Petranoff Apr 8, 1958 World record javelin thrower Born in Aurora

References

  1. ^ https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/authors/cisco-cotto title= WBBM Newsradio Morning Host Cisco Cotto
  2. ^ "John Drury's Path To Fame - Chicago Tribune". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on October 2, 2013.
  3. ^ Life & Career Timeline of Maud Powell. Born 1867 in Peru, Illinois, began violin & piano lessons in Aurora in 1874
  4. ^ Willard, Frances Elizabeth; Livermore, Mary Ashton Rice (1897). American Women: Fifteen Hundred Biographies with Over 1,400 Portraits: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of the Lives and Achievements of American Women During the Nineteenth Century. Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick. pp. 645–.
  5. ^ "Wyatt Borso". Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
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