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 |
|
February 5, 1941 |
July 12, 1998 |
Financial lecturer and author |
Born in Decatur |
|
Nathan H. Lents |
![](../I/m/NH_Lents.png) |
September 22, 1978 |
|
Biologist, Professor, Author |
Born in Decatur |
|
James W. Loewen |
|
February 6, 1942 |
|
Author, historian, and sociology professor |
Born in Decatur |
|
Richard Peck |
![](../I/m/Richard_peck_8872.JPG) |
April 10, 1934 |
May 24, 2018 |
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) |
![](../I/m/Charles_Bowles_aka_Black_Bart.jpg) |
1829 |
1888 |
Western outlaw |
Lived in Decatur |
|
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Chris Berry (broadcaster) |
|
Aug 11, 1960 |
|
Broadcasting journalist and management |
Born in Decatur |
|
Jenny Lou Carson |
![](../I/m/Jenny_Lou_Carson.jpg) |
Jan 13, 1915 |
Dec 16, 1978 |
Country singer-songwriter inducted in Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame |
Born in Decatur |
|
June Christy |
![](../I/m/June_Christy_and_Red_Rodney_at_Club_Troubadour%2C_New_York%2C_ca._Sept._1947%2C_by_William_Gottlieb_(LOC_gottlieb.01251).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 |
|
[1] |
Brian Culbertson |
![](../I/m/Brian_Culbertson.jpg) |
Jan 12, 1973 |
|
Jazz musician |
Born in Decatur |
|
John Doe |
![](../I/m/John_Doe%2C_born_John_Nommensen_Duchac.jpg) |
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 |
![](../I/m/lossless-page1-80px-ThelmaGiven1919.tif.png) |
Mar 9, 1896 |
Dec 25, 1977 |
Concert pianist |
Raised in Decatur |
|
Chad Gray |
![](../I/m/Chad_Gray_-_9-30_Club.jpg) |
Oct 16, 1971 |
|
Singer of alternative metal band Mudvayne |
Born in Decatur |
|
Steve Hunter |
![](../I/m/Steve_Hunter_Guitar_Player.JPG) |
Jun 14, 1948 |
|
Guitarist with Mitch Ryder, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, and Peter Gabriel |
Born in Decatur |
|
Alison Krauss |
![](../I/m/Alison_Krauss_MerleFest_2007_01.jpg) |
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 |
![](../I/m/Stephen_Mason.jpg) |
Jul 8, 1975 |
|
Guitar player for Jars of Clay |
Grew up in Decatur |
|
Boots Randolph |
![](../I/m/WIKI_BOOTS_RANDOLPH_2.jpg) |
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 |
|
Edwin B. Willis |
|
January 28, 1893 |
November 26, 1963 |
Academy Award winning motion picture set designer & decorator |
Born 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 |
|
Loren D. Hagen |
|
February 25, 1946 |
August 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) |
|
Sports
Baseball
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Walter "Boom-Boom" Beck |
![](../I/m/Boom-BoomBeckGoudeycard.jpg) |
Oct 16, 1904 |
May 7, 1987 |
Pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams |
Born in Decatur |
|
Chuck Dressen |
![](../I/m/Chuck_Dressen_1951.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 |
|
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 |
![](../I/m/Hobie_Landrith_1954_Bowman.jpg) |
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 |
![](../I/m/BrianSnitker2012.JPG) |
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 |
|
Name |
Image |
Birth |
Death |
Known for |
Association |
Reference |
Jason Avant |
![](../I/m/Jason_Avant.JPG) |
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 |
![](../I/m/Pete_Rozelle_and_George_Halas.jpg) |
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 |
![](../I/m/Brit_Miller.JPG) |
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 |
|