List of people from Aurora, Illinois explained

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

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Owner of the Chicago Academy of Fine ArtsGrew up in Aurora
Frank Howell HoldenArchitectGrew up in Aurora

Film, radio, and television

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Actor and singerFather was employed in Aurora
Radio news anchor and pastorBorn in Aurora[1]
Adult model and actressBorn in Aurora
Longtime Chicago news anchormanRaised in Aurora[2]
Emmy-nominated actressBorn in Aurora
Actress, co-star of ABC's CastleAttended West Aurora High School
Radio personality and program directorBorn in Aurora
ActorLives in Aurora
Screenwriter and directorBorn in Aurora
Chicago Tribune and WGN-TV meteorologistBorn in Aurora
ActorBorn in Aurora

Music

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Singer-songwriter
(a.k.a. The Ragtime King)Entertainer, singer and composerBorn in Aurora
OrganistLived in Aurora and is buried there
Banjoist, singer, Yonder Mountain String Band
MusicianRaised in Aurora and taught music there
ViolinistBegan violin and piano lessons in Aurora in 1874[3]
R&B singerAttended East Aurora High School
Soul vocalist and rock and blues guitarist; member of Frank Zappa's touring ensembles

Writing and journalism

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Adventure novelist and marine archaeologistBorn in Aurora
Author and poetRaised in Aurora
Short story writerRaised in Aurora
Prolific novelistBorn in Aurora
Wrote the Alice and Jerry basal reader seriesAttended East Aurora High School
Pulitzer Prize-winning historian; college football coachBorn in Aurora
NovelistBorn in Aurora
New York journalist, business woman, school founderBorn in Aurora[4]
Pioneering gay journalist and author
Valerie TaylorAuthor of lesbian pulp fiction novels and poetryBorn in Aurora

Business and administrative

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Former president and CEO of the Chicago Urban LeagueBorn in Aurora
Former CEO of Enron CorporationAttended West Aurora High School

Law and crime

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Lawyer and online personalityBorn in Aurora
Justice of the Supreme Court of IllinoisBorn in Aurora
Depression-era outlaw
Chief Justice of the Illinois Supreme CourtBorn in Aurora

Military

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Combat medic in the Vietnam War and recipient of the Medal of HonorBorn in Aurora
Member of the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II and recipient of the Medal of HonorBorn in Aurora
U.S. Marine and recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroism in VietnamBorn in Aurora

Politics

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
State legislator Wisconsin; head football coach at University of IowaBorn in Aurora
Chairman of the Republican Party of WisconsinBorn in Aurora
U.S. congressman and founder of Copley
Michael J. DavisBorn Jul 21, 1947Born in Cincinmati, OH, raised in Aurora, chief Justice of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
Jun 24, 2022Illinois state congresswoman
U.S. senator from and 11th governor of NebraskaBorn in Aurora
Matt HansonMay 17, 1973Lived in Aurora
Speaker of the U.S. House of RepresentativesBorn in Aurora
Nov 2, 2019Retired law professor and authorBorn in Aurora
Illinois state senatorBorn in Aurora
Illinois state congressmanBorn in Aurora
Illinois state congressmanBorn in Aurora
U.S. congressmanAttended schools in Aurora
U.S. congressman from FloridaBorn in Aurora
Former Chief of Staff to U.S. congressman Dennis HastertAttended Aurora University
Illinois state congressmanBorn in Aurora
U.S. congresswomanLived and died in Aurora
U.S. congressmanBorn in Aurora
Mayor of Aurora

Religion

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Archbishop of the Orthodox Church in America's Romanian EpiscopateBorn in Aurora
Bishop emeritus of the Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St George's in CantonBorn in Aurora
Romanian Greek-Catholic priest, political prisoner, and authorLived and died in Aurora

Science

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Astrophysicist and authorBorn in Aurora
Inventor of the Hall Braille Writer and other Braille printing devicesLived and died in Aurora
Environmental activistBorn in Aurora
Electrical engineer, the first female president of the IEEEBorn in Aurora
Ecologist and college professorBorn in Aurora

Sports

Baseball

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Outfielder for several Major League Baseball teamsBorn in Aurora
Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago CubsAttended Waubonsie Valley High School
Pitcher for six Major League Baseball teamsBorn in Aurora
Pitcher for five Major League Baseball teamsBorn in Aurora
Pitcher for Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh PiratesBorn in Aurora
Relief pitcher for California Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota TwinsBorn in Aurora
Pitcher for Texas RangersBorn in Aurora
Pitcher for Philadelphia AthleticsBorn in Aurora

Basketball

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Small forward for several NBA teamsBorn in Aurora
Point guard UConn 2014 National Championship team Born in Aurora
Shooting guard for the Minneapolis LakersBorn in Aurora
NBA player of early 1950sBorn in Aurora
Basketball head coach, Kentucky, Tennessee, FloridaBorn in Aurora
College basketball assistant and head coachBorn in Aurora

Football

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Running back for four National Football League teamsBorn in Aurora
Guard for Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams; Super Bowl XX championBorn in Aurora
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
Pro and college football coach, head coach of Minnesota Vikings 2006-10Born in Aurora
Linebacker for San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay BuccaneersBorn in Aurora
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Guard in Canadian Football League 1969–79Born in Aurora
Head coach in College Football Hall of FameBorn in Aurora
Running back for Boston Redskins and Chicago CardinalsBorn in Aurora
Linebacker for Washington RedskinsBorn in Aurora
Defensive line coach for Cleveland BrownsBorn in Aurora
Guard for NFL's Chicago CardinalsBorn in Aurora
Defensive tackle for Washington RedskinsBorn in Aurora

Sports-related professionals

NameImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference
Architect of Old Comiskey Park (1910), Wrigley Field (1914)Born in Aurora
Sportscaster for the Los Angeles LakersBorn in Aurora

Track and field

Notes and References

  1. https://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/authors/cisco-cotto title= WBBM Newsradio Morning Host Cisco Cotto
  2. Web site: John Drury's Path To Fame - Chicago Tribune . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20131002141637/http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1992-01-19/features/9201060067_1_chicago-area-train-wbbm . 2013-10-02 . articles.chicagotribune.com.
  3. http://www.maudpowell.org/home/MaudPowell/LifeCareerTimeline/tabid/78/Default.aspx Life & Career Timeline of Maud Powell
  4. Book: Willard . Frances Elizabeth . 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 . Livermore . Mary Ashton Rice . Mast, Crowell & Kirkpatrick . 1897 . 645–.