List of people from El Paso, Texas explained

This is a list of notable people who were born in, or have lived in El Paso, Texas.

Politics, military, and government

• Shirley "S.L." Abbott, Texas legislator and United States Ambassador
• Lucy G. Acosta (1926-2008), activist and political appointee.^[1]
• Oscar Zeta Acosta, attorney, writer
• Suzie Azar (born 1946), aviator, politician and first woman to serve as mayor of El Paso.^[2]
• Jeff Bingaman, former United States Senator
• Beau Boulter, politician
• Omar Bradley, Five Star General, first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Wernher von Braun, German Nazi rocket scientist
• Cornell William Brooks (born 1961), president of the NAACP
• Kathleen Cardone (born 1953), United States District Judge.^[3]
• Alicia R. Chacón (born 1938), first woman elected to office in the city of El Paso.^[4]
• Ann Day, politician
• Veronica Escobar, United States Representative.^[5]
• Albert Bacon Fall, politician
• Patrick G. Forrester, astronaut
• Mary González (born 1983), state representative.^[6]
• Ambrosio Guillen, Medal of Honor recipient
• Polly Harris (1924-1987), politician and theater enthusiast
• Victoriano Huerta, former President of Mexico
• Shoshana Johnson, POW
• Wayne Harold Johnson, Republican member of both houses, consecutively, of the Wyoming State Legislature from 1993 to 2017; born in El Paso in 1942
• Charles S. Kilburn. U.S. Army brigadier general^[7]
• Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, politician
• Thomas Calloway Lea Jr., attorney, judge, Mayor of El Paso (1915–1917)
• Barbara Lee, member of the United States House of Representatives
• Oscar Leeser, Mayor of El Paso
• Virginia B. MacDonald, Illinois state legislator
• Adair Margo, Chairman, President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities
• Susana Martinez, former Governor of New Mexico
• Anson Mills, brigadier general, platted El Paso in 1859.
• Sandra Day O'Connor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. First woman to serve on the Supreme Court.
• John "Danny" Olivas, astronaut
• Beto O'Rourke, former member of the United States House of Representatives
• John "Black Jack" Pershing, General of the Armies
• Joseph C. Rodriguez, Medal of Honor recipient
• Paul Ray Smith, Medal of Honor recipient
• Gabe Vasquez, member of the United States House of Representatives
• Jack Vowell, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1981 to 1995; construction company president in El Paso
• Richard C. White, member of the United States House of Representatives, WWII veteran, Marine
• Myra Carroll Winkler (1880-1963), first woman to hold elected office in El Paso County.^{[8] [9]}

Western history

• George Campbell, ex-El Paso marshal
• Albert Jennings Fountain, Wild West Indian fighter, politician
• Henry O. Flipper (1856-1940), Buffalo soldier and first African American graduate of West Point.^[10]
• Pat Garrett, Western law man known for killing Billy The Kid
• John Wesley Hardin, outlaw, attorney and gunfighter in late 19th-century Texas
• Gus Krempkau, El Paso County constable
• Pascual Orozco, Mexican revolutionary leader
• George Scarborough, U.S. Marshal, gunfighter, outlaw
• John Selman, El Paso County constable, cattle rustler and outlaw
• Dallas Stoudenmire, El Paso Town Marshal and U.S. Marshal
• Pancho Villa, Revolutionary general of the Mexican Revolution, Centaur of the North (Centaurio del Norte)
• Florida J. Wolfe (1867-1913), socialite, cattle rancher and philanthropist.^[11]

Film

• F. Murray Abraham, Academy Award-winning actor
• Don Bluth, animator and director
• Lombardo Boyar, actor
• Thomas Haden Church, Academy Award-nominated actor^[12]
• Norma Crane, film actress known for her role as "Golde" in the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof
• Judith Ivey, Tony Award-winning actress
• Guy Kibbee, actor
• Rudy Larriva, animator and director
• Laura Martinez Herring, Miss Texas USA 1985, Miss USA 1985 and actress, Mulholland Drive
• John Cameron Mitchell, actor, director, songwriter, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
• Lupe Ontiveros, actress
• Anthony Quinn, Academy Award-winning actor
• Debbie Reynolds, Academy Award-nominated actress, Singin' in the Rain
• Lynne Roberts, actress
• Gilbert Roland, Golden Globe-nominated actor^[13]
• Steven Sills, screenwriter
• Octavio Solis, actor
• Sharon Tate, actress, Valley of the Dolls
• Alan Tudyk, actor
• Hal Warren, writer and director of , widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made^[14]

Television

• Ana Alicia, actress
• Estela Casas (born 1961), news anchor^[15]
• Ara Celi, actress
• Lydia Cornell, actress, model, comedian, novelist
• Sam Donaldson, television journalist
• Stephen Espinoza, television executive
• Alana de la Garza, actress
• Vickie Guerrero, actress
• Jack Handey, comedy writer and author
• Sherman Hemsley, television actor, The Jeffersons
• Jordan Hinson, actress
• Elisa Jimenez, designer
• Bill Macatee, sportscaster
• Karla Martinez, television personality
• Lupe Ontiveros, actress
• Gene Roddenberry, Star Trek creator and television producer
• Irene Ryan, actress, The Beverly Hillbillies
• Aarón Sanchez, chef
• Octavio Solis
• Nora Zehetner, actress

Literature

• Paco Ahlgren, writer
• Alicia Gaspar de Alba, writer, poet, scholar
• Kathleen Barber, writer^[16]
• Cynthia Farah (born 1949), photographer and writer^[17]
• Marcia Hatfield Daudistel, writer.^[18]
• Shanaya Fastje, author, singer, songwriter, actress and speaker
• Betty J. Ligon (1921-2015), journalist^[19]
• Sheryl Luna, poet.^[20]
• Cormac McCarthy, novelist
• Aileen Mehle, gossip columnist
• Leon Claire Metz, author, writer, historian, television and radio personality, public speaker and story teller
• Pat Mora, author
• Michael Petry, artist, author
• Estela Portillo-Trambley, poet
• John Rechy, author
• Benjamin Alire Sáenz, writer, poet
• Rubén Salazar, journalist
• Robert Skimin, author
• Sergio Troncoso, author
• Janice Woods Windle (born 1938), novelist^[21]
• Angelina Virginia Winkler, journalist, editor, magazine publisher

Visual arts

• Manuel Gregorio Acosta, artist
• Ho Baron, sculptor
• Kate Moore Brown (1871-1945), clubwoman and creator of the International Museum of Art in El Paso.^[22]
• Mago Orona Gándara (1929-2018), Chicana artist and muralist^[23]
• Joe Allen Hong, fashion designer, artist
• Anna Jaquez (born 1953), artist and metalsmith^[24]
• Luis Jiménez, fiberglass artist
• Tom Lea, artist, war correspondent, novelist, historian
• Tom Moore, cartoonist, Archie comics
• Gloria Osuna Perez (1947-1999), Chicana artist^[25]
• Becky Duval Reese, art curator and former director of the El Paso Museum of Art^[26]
• Urbici Soler, artist
• Alberto Valdés, painter

Music, performing arts and stage

• Birdie Alexander (1870-1960), musician and educator^[27]
• Blake Allen, composer and musician
• At the Drive-In, alternative rock band
• Clint Ballard Jr., musician
• Cedric Bixler-Zavala, musician
• Jimmy Carl Black, musician
• Malena Cano, ranchero and mariachi singer^[28]
• Vikki Carr, Grammy-winning international singer, entertainer
• The Chamanas, Latin Grammy nominee, border music band
• Adam Duritz, musician
• Emcee N.I.C.E., hip-hop recording artist
• Bobby Fuller, musician
• Kenneth James Gibson, musician, record producer ^[29]
• Rosa Ramirez Guerrero (born 1934), educator and dancer^[30]
• Gunplay, rapper
• Ingeborg Heuser, dancer and choreographer^[31]
• Al Jourgensen, musician, music producer
• Khalid, singer-songwriter
• Ronn Lucas, ventriloquist, comedian
• Terry Manning, music producer, audio engineer, photographer
• The Mars Volta, progressive rock band
• John Moyer, musician, bass player for Disturbed
• Stevie Nicks, musician
• Drusilla Nixon, music educator, civil rights activist, and community advocate ^[32]
• Salim Nourallah, musician
• Phil Ochs, musician
• Pissing Razors, groove metal band
• Jiles Perry Richardson, musician also known as The Big Bopper
• Joan H. Quarm (1920-2010), American educator, actor, and theater director^[33]
• Riot Ten, DJ and producer
• Omar Rodríguez-López, musician
• The Royalty, musical group
• Tom Russell, singer-songwriter
• Irene Ryan, actress and entertainer
• Freddy Soto, comedian
• Sparta, musical group
• Ryan Stout, comedian
• Don Tosti, Mexican American composer, bandleader and musician
• Jim Ward, musician
• Todd Womack, comedian

Sports

• Keitha Adams (born 1967), basketball coach^[34]
• Kristi Albers (born 1963), professional golfer^[35]
• Nate Archibald, basketball player
• Jerry D. Bailey, jockey
• Cesar Bazan, boxer
• Bob Beamon, Olympic champion long jumper
• Rich Beem, professional golfer
• Sin Cara, WWE wrestler
• Fred Carr, NFL player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame inductee
• Frank Castillo, baseball player
• Andy Cohen, Major League Baseball second baseman and coach
• Randall "Tex" Cobb, boxer
• Alan Culpepper, Olympic runner
• Christian Cunningham (born 1997), basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
• Mark Dantonio, college football coach
• Billy Davis, NFL player, two-time Super Bowl champion
• Jamie Dick, NASCAR driver
• Manny Fernandez, wrestler
• Tim Floyd, basketball coach
• James Forbes, basketball player
• Greg Foster, basketball player
• Mark Grudzielanek, baseball player
• Chavo Guerrero Sr., professional wrestler
• Chavo Guerrero Jr., professional wrestler
• Eddie Guerrero, professional wrestler former WWE Champion
• Vickie Guerrero professional wrestling personality for WWE
• Don Haskins, basketball coach, Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame inductee
• J. P. Hayes, professional golfer
• Tuff Hedeman, rodeo performer
• Butch Henry, baseball pitcher and Minor League manager
• Bruce Holmes, football player
• Chris Jacke, NFL player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame inductee
• Marcell Jacobs, Olympic sprinter
• Aaron Jones, NFL player
• Shawn Jordan, LSU Football Champion, UFC Fighter
• Seth Joyner, professional football player
• Juan Lazcano, boxer
• Nik Lentz, mixed martial artist
• Marshall Leonard, professional soccer player
• Will Licon, swimmer
• Don Maynard, professional football player
• Taj McWilliams-Franklin, professional basketball player
• Ray Mickens, professional football player
• Ricardo Pepi, professional soccer player
• Danny Perez, professional baseball player
• Mike Price, college football coach
• Omar Quintanilla, professional baseball player
• Nolan Richardson, basketball coach
• David Rodriguez professional boxer
• Sandra Rushing, basketball coach^[36]
• Omar Salgado, professional soccer player
• Dick Savitt, professional tennis player
• Willie Shoemaker, jockey
• John Skelton, NFL quarterback
• Paul Smith, football player
• Paul Stankowski, professional golfer
• Ed Stansbury, NFL player
• Reece "Goose" Tatum, professional basketball player
• Kenny Thomas, professional basketball player
• Tony Tolbert, professional American footballer
• Lee Trevino, professional golfer
• Austin Trout, professional boxer
• Jesse Whittenton, NFL player, Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame inductee
• Brian Young, football player
• Jake Young, football player
• Alan Zinter, baseball player and coach

Educators and librarians

• Blanca Enriquez, educator and director of Head Start^[37]
• Betty Mary Goetting (1897-1980), librarian and activist^[38]
• Olga Bernstein Kohlberg (1864-1935), philanthropist and founder of first public kindergarten in Texas^[39]
• Dionne Mack (born 1973), librarian and deputy city manager^[40]
• Francis Joseph Mullin, president of Shimer College^[41]
• Diana Natalicio (born 1939), first woman to serve as president of UTEP^{[42] [43]}
• Mary Irene Stanton (1862-1946), founder of the El Paso Public Library^[44]
• Maud Durlin Sullivan (1870-1943), librarian at the El Paso Public Library^[45]
• Josefina Villamil Tinajero, bilingual educator^[46]
• María Guillermina Valdes Villalva (1939-1991), scholar and educator^[47]
• Kimie Yanagawa (1915-1997), educator and first Japanese person naturalized in the United States^[48]

Video games

• Don Bluth, animator and director; co-creator of Dragon's Lair
• Rawson Stovall, video game producer/designer, author, and first nationally syndicated reviewer of video games

Others

• Jay J. Armes, private investigator
• Josephine Clardy Fox (1881-1971), businesswoman and philanthropist.^[49]
• Christine Gonzalez, train engineer^[50]
• Fred Imus, radio personality, brother of Don Imus
• Peter E. Kern (1860-1937), real estate entrepreneur^[51]
• Ruth Kern (1914-2002), lawyer^[52]
• Ginger Kerrick, physicist^[53]
• Richard Ramirez, serial killer
  • George Angel Rivas Jr., criminal, leader of the Texas Seven Aaron Sanchez, chef
• Eugenia Schuster (1865-1946), community activist^[54]
• Fannie S. Spitz, inventor
• Ron Stallworth, police officer, subject of movie BlacKkKlansman
• Leona Ford Washington (1928-2007), community activist and writer of the song, "The City of El Paso," El Paso's official song^{[55] [56]}
• Wulf Zendik, author, environmentalist, founder of Zendik Farm commune and art cooperative.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Texas Women's Hall of Fame: Acosta, Lucy G.. Texas Woman's University. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130511173913/http://www.twu.edu/twhf/tw-acosta.asp. 2013-05-11. 2018-08-13.
2. Garcia. Vicente. Pinon. Tony. Rasmussen. Aaron. Coons. Heather. 2009. Suzie Azar Still Reaches for the Sky. EPCC Borderlands. 27. 9 July 2016.
3. Web site: Cardone, Kathleen. Federal Judicial Center. 2019-12-05.
4. News: Ex-county Judge to be Honored. Chavez. Adriana. June 15, 2000. El Paso Times. March 31, 2019. Newspapers.com.
5. Web site: Our Campaigns - TX District 16 - D Primary Race - Mar 06, 2018. Our Campaigns. October 25, 2018.
6. Web site: Texas House District 75. house.texas.gov. 2013-12-05.
7. Krisman . Michael J. . December 1980 . Death Notice, Charles S. Kilburn . Assembly . West Point, NY . Association of Graduates, USMA . 128 . Google Books.
8. News: Forty Years Ago. 1952-11-14. El Paso Times. 2019-12-02. 6. Newspapers.com.
9. Longo. Joseph. Spring 2016. Early El Paso Women Political Pioneers: 1912-1952. Password. 60. 1. 15.
10. Book: Cusic, Don. The Trials of Henry Flipper, First Black Graduate of West Point. McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. 2009. 9780786439690. Jefferson, North Carolina. 120.
11. Web site: Wolfe, Florida J. (c 1867-1913). Dailey. Maceo Crenshaw Jr.. BlackPast.org. 14 November 2007. en. 2017-06-22.
12. http://www.filmreference.com/film/15/Thomas-Haden-Church.html Thomas Haden Church Biography (1960-)
13. Web site: Gilbert Roland.
14. http://www.texasarchive.org/amateurauteurs/hal-warren/ Amateur Auteurs | Hal Warren
15. Web site: History of KVIA. 20 October 2010. KVIA-TV. 9 July 2016.
16. News: Kathleen Barber, December 28 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20190722193833/https://www.rcreader.com/news/kathleen-barber-author-visit-dec28 . 2019-07-22 . 2019-07-22 . Author Barber was raised in Galesburg and graduated from the University of Illinois and Northwestern University School of Law. While she previously practiced bankruptcy law at large firms in Chicago and New York, Barber is also a registered yoga teacher and self-described “incurable wanderer” who, when she isn’t writing, enjoys traveling the world with her husband..
17. News: Southwest Writers Captured on Film. Benanti. Mary. 14 January 1985. El Paso Times. 25 March 2019. Newspapers.com.
18. News: Book Review: 'Literary El Paso,' Edited by Marcia Hatfield Daudistel. Sumner. Jane. 13 December 2009. The Dallas Morning News. 9 July 2016.
19. News: Longtime arts columnist Betty Ligon passes away at the age of 93 in Pleasant Hills, California. Cortez Gonzalez. Maria. 19 May 2015. El Paso Times. 2017-12-04. en.
20. Web site: Colorado Poets Center : Sheryl Luna.
21. Dingus. Anne. 1996. West Seller. Texas Monthly. 24. 8. 26. subscription. 9 July 2016. EBSCO.
22. Saenz. Brandy. Eubank. Alexis. Vise. Ruth. 2012. Kate Moore Brown: A Woman of Many Firsts. Borderlands. 30.
23. Book: Hakim, Musa Abdul. https://books.google.com/books?id=QmFUC1HZIl8C&q=%22orona%20gandara%22&pg=PA262. Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Lives: Women in American History. SR Books. 2000. 9780842027540. Lindenmeyer. Kriste. Lanham, Maryland. 262. en. Mago Orona Gandara.
24. Book: Texas 100: Selections from the El Paso Museum of Art. El Paso Museum of Art Foundation. 2006. 9780978538309. Dura. Lucia. El Paso, Texas. 60–61.
25. News: Her Art Lives On. Villalva. Maribel. 11 July 1999. El Paso Times. 17 March 2019. and News: Osuna. 11 July 1999. El Paso Times. 17 March 2019. 7F. Newspapers.com.
26. Web site: A Q&A with Becky Duval-Reese, director of the El Paso Museum of Art. Cortez. Mia. 30 April 2005. El Paso Inc.. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190331155711/http://www.elpasoinc.com/news/a-q-a-with-becky-duval-reese-director-of-the/article_25303592-11df-5bc4-8e80-46841e1e5ac2.html. 31 March 2019. 2019-03-31.
27. News: Miss Alexander Taken by Death. 2 August 1960. El Paso Herald-Post. 2018-04-04. 2. en. Newspapers.com.
28. News: Ranchero Artist Will Sing At Chamizal. 11 January 1991. El Paso Times. 2018-08-19. en. Newspapers.com.
29. Romero, Dennis "Kenneth James Gibson: Hollywood Shuffler" , LAweekly.com, Retrieved May 1, 2020.
30. Book: Berchelmann III, David A.. Legendary Locals of El Paso. Arcadia Publishing. 2015. 9781467101875. Charleston, South Carolina. 111.
31. Web site: Ballet Director to Retire. 18 October 2006. ¿Que Pasa?. en-US. 2017-12-06.
32. https://www.blackpast.org/african-american-history/nixon-drusilla-elizabeth-tandy-1899-1990/ Drusilla Elizabeth Tandy Nixon on BlackPast
33. News: El Paso Woman Has a Long History of Acting, Directing. Johnson. Matt. 19 July 2002. El Paso Times. 2018-07-14. en. Newspapers.com.
34. Web site: Keitha Adams. UTEP Athletics. June 26, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170210215806/http://www.utepathletics.com/sports/w-baskbl/mtt/keitha_adams_294184.html. February 10, 2017. dead.
35. http://www.lpga.com/content/All-timeWinnersList.pdf LPGA All-Time Winners List
36. News: New UTEP Coach Says Being Woman Is Big Plus. Henry. Don. 10 May 1990. El Paso Times. 13 July 2019. Newspapers.com. and News: Coach. 10 May 1990. El Paso Times. 13 July 2019. 5C. Newspapers.com.
37. Web site: Welcome the New Office of Head Start Director. Smith. Linda. 2 April 2015. Administration for Children and Families. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. 5 March 2016.
38. Book: Metz, Leon. El Paso: Guided Through Time. Mangan Books. 1999. 9780930208370. El Paso, Texas. 57.
39. Web site: Kohlberg, Olga Bernstein. Kohout. Martin Donell. 15 June 2010. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. 18 May 2017.
40. Book: Dailey, Maceo Crenshaw Jr.. African Americans in El Paso. Smith-McGlynn, Kathryn; Gutierrez Venable, Cecilia. 29 September 2014. 9781439647448. Charleston, South Carolina. 905238686.
41. Book: Mullin, Mark. The Headmaster's Run. 2008. 978-1578866540. 16. Rowman & Littlefield Education .
42. http://www.utepmagazine.com/fall-2018/2018/6/27/mentor-advocate-president MENTOR. ADVOCATE. PRESIDENT.
43. https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/default/files/offices/board-of-regents/board-meetings/board-minutes/2-88meeting831.pdf Meeting No. 831 THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
44. Book: Timmons, W.H.. El Paso: A Borderlands History. Texas Western Press. 1990. 0-87404-213-5. El Paso, Texas. 194.
45. Web site: SULLIVAN, MAUD DURLIN. KOHOUT. MARTIN DONELL. 2010-06-15. tshaonline.org. en. 2019-04-05.
46. News: Premian su destacado aporte a la educación bilingüe. Henao. Juliana. 8 March 2016. El Diario de Juárez. 2017-09-06. es.
47. Web site: Valdes Villalva, Maria Guillermina. Solorzano. Rosalia. 15 June 2010. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association.
48. News: Japanese Granted Citizenship. 1953. The Cincinnati Enquirer. 2018-01-02. 6. Newspapers.com.
49. News: Davis. Mary Margaret. 1982-08-10. Donor's Collection Puts a Feather in UTEP's Hat. 13. El Paso Times. 2021-02-24. Newspapers.com.
50. Web site: US' First Woman Train Engineer Speaks in Las Cruces. López. Carlos Andres. 14 March 2017. Las Cruces Sun-News. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190327235142/https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2017/03/14/us-first-woman-train-engineer-speaks-las-cruces/99192054/. 27 March 2019. 2019-03-29.
51. News: Papers, Photos Add to Kern Place Founder's History. Hamilton. Nancy. 21 November 1974. El Paso Herald-Post. 27 April 2017. Newspapers.com.
52. News: Ruth Kern Replace Domesticity With Outspokeness. Aschoff. Susan. 10 September 1978. El Paso Times. 2018-07-30. en. Newspapers.com. and News: Lawyer Overcomes Sex Discrimination. 10 September 1978. El Paso Times. 2018-07-30. 2–C. en. Newspapers.com.
53. Web site: Women@NASA » Ginger Kerrick. women.nasa.gov.
54. News: Woman's Club Members Shaped El Paso History. Weiser. Abbie. 21 February 2016. El Paso Times. 5 March 2016.
55. Web site: Washington, Leona Ford. Dailey. Maceo. 13 June 2013. Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. 5 March 2016.
56. Web site: Leona Ford Washington. 7 November 2014. Digie. El Paso Museum of History. 5 March 2016.