List of people from Olathe, Kansas explained

The following is a list of people who were born in and/or have lived in the American city of Olathe, Kansas.

Academia

• George Washington Carver (1860–1943), botanist, prominent African American leader^[1]
• J. Wayne Reitz (1908–1993), President of the University of Florida (1955–1967)^[2]
• Charles H. Zimmerman (1908–1996), aeronautical engineer^[3]

Arts and entertainment

Film, television, and theatre

• Willie Aames (1960–), actor^[4]
• Jennifer Bertrand, interior designer, television show host^[5]
• Adam Jamal Craig (1981–), actor^[6]
• Ashley Litton (1983–), beauty queen^[7]
• Michael McMillian (1978–), actor^[8]
• Larry Parks (1914–1975), actor^[9]
• Chris Porter (1979–), comedian^[10]
• Charles "Buddy" Rogers (1904–1999), actor^[11]

Journalism

• C. L. Edson (1881–1975), newspaper columnist, humorist, and poet^[12]
• Dan Ryckert (1984–), journalist and author.^[13]

Music

• Johnny Dare (1968–), Kansas City radio personality^[14]
• Charles Miller (1939–1980), musician^[15]
• Rob Pope, member of emo band The Get Up Kids^[16]
• Ryan Pope (1978–), member of emo band The Get Up Kids^[17]
• Richie Pratt (1943–2015), jazz drummer, professional football player^[18]
• Jim Suptic (1977–), member of emo band The Get Up Kids^[17]

Other visual arts

• Grace Bilger (1907–2000), painter^[19]

Business

• Jesse Clyde Nichols (1880–1950), real estate developer^[20]
• Donald J. Tyson (1930–2011), food industry executive^[21]

Politics

National

• Chauncey B. Little (1877–1952), U.S. Representative from Kansas^[22]
• Edward C. Little (1858–1924), U.S. Representative from Kansas^[23]
• James Kenneth Logan (1929–2018), U.S. federal judge^[24]
• Walter Lewis McVey Jr. (1922–2014), U.S. Representative from Kansas^[25]
• Vince Snowbarger (1949–), U.S. Representative from Kansas (1997–1999)^[26]

State

• John Anderson Jr. (1917–2014), 36th Governor of Kansas (1961–1965)^[27]
• Keith Esau, Kansas state legislator^[28]
• Herbert S. Hadley (1872–1927), 32nd Governor of Missouri, chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis^[29]
• George H. Hodges (1866–1947), 19th Governor of Kansas^[30]
• Julia Lynn (1957–), Kansas state legislator^[31]
• Robert Montgomery, Kansas state legislator^[32]
• Robert Olson (1969–), Kansas state legislator^[33]
• Mark Parkinson (1957–), 45th Governor of Kansas (2009–2011)^[34]
• Ron Ryckman Jr., Kansas state legislator^[35]
• John St. John (1833–1916), 8th Governor of Kansas (1879–1883), Prohibition Party Presidential candidate (1884)^[36]
• Harold Sebring (1898–1968), Florida Supreme Court justice^[37]

Local

• Albert I. Beach (1883–1939), 42nd Mayor of Kansas City, Missouri^[38]

Sports

American football

• Arland Bruce III (1977–), wide receiver for the BC Lions^[39]
• Don Davis (1972–), linebacker, coach^[40]
• Bryan Shepherd (1991–), cornerback^[41]
• Isaiah Simmons (1998–), linebacker^[42]
• Darren Sproles (1983–), running back^[43]

Baseball

• John Means, Baltimore Orioles pitcher
• Dan Glass (1959–), Kansas City Royals president^[44]
• Claude Hendrix (1889–1944), pitcher^[45]
• Dummy Taylor (1875–1958), pitcher^[46]

Basketball

• Manute Bol (1962–2010), NBA center (1985–1994)^[47]
• Willie Cauley-Stein (1993–), center^[48]
• Danielle McCray (1987–), forward^[49]

Other

• Johnny Carver (1995–), sports author ^[50]
• Stevana Case (1976–), professional video gamer^[51]
• Steve Fisher (1982–), snowboarder^[52]
• Eric Lynch (1978–), poker player^[53]
• Michael Thomas (1988–), soccer midfielder^[54]

See also

• List of MidAmerica Nazarene Pioneers head football coaches
• List of people from Johnson County, Kansas

Notes and References

1. Web site: George Washington Carver . Kansapedia . Kansas Historical Society . 2015-12-16.
2. Web site: Dr. J. Wayne Reitz History . University of Florida . 2015-12-16.
3. News: Biggs . Virginia . Charles Zimmerman, Aerospace Pioneer at Nasa Langley, 88 . Daily Press . 2015-12-18.
4. Willie Aames . People . 1995-07-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110330071304/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20101100,00.html. March 30, 2011. 2015-12-16.
5. Web site: Jennifer Bertrand is Kansas City's Design Star . ThisIsKC.com . 2015-12-18.
6. Web site: Adam Jamal Craig - Biography . 2024-03-09 . IMDb . en-US.
7. https://web.archive.org/web/20041011170351/http://missmissouriusa.com/ashley_bio.html Miss Missouri USA official titleholder profile
8. Web site: Michael McMillian (I) . IMDb . 2015-12-16.
9. Web site: Larry Parks (I) . IMDb . 2015-12-16.
10. Web site: Shepherd . Brent . He's Sleighing, Er, Slaying Them Up There . 2010-12-23 . The Pitch . 2015-12-16.
11. Web site: Charles 'Buddy' Rogers . IMDb . 2015-12-16.
12. Web site: Charles Leroy Edson Papers . Kansas Historical Society . 2015-12-16.
13. News: Awesome sauce: Olathe native is first to get married in new Taco Bell wedding chapel . . June 27, 2017 . 2017-07-01 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170628021632/http://www.kansascity.com/news/nation-world/article158520509.html . June 28, 2017 . dead . mdy-all .
14. Web site: Stillwell . Ted . Stillwell: Shawnee Indian word becomes town name . The Examiner . 2011-09-30 . 2015-12-16.
15. Book: Simmonds, Jeremy . The Encyclopedia of Dead Rock Stars: Heroin, Handguns, and Ham Sandwiches . Chicago Review Press . 2012 . Chicago, IL . 136.
16. Web site: Niccum . Jon . Spoon bender . Lawrence.com . 2008-04-18 . 2015-12-16.
17. Book: Sharpe-Young, Garry . New Wave of American Heavy Metal . Zonda Books Limited . 2005 . 317.
18. Web site: Palmer . Tod . Opinion: Richie Pratt appreciates Olathe . The Olathe News . 2008-05-06 . 2015-12-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151223121801/http://www.theolathenews.com/2008/05/06/111791_opinion-richie-pratt-appreciates.html . December 23, 2015 . mdy-all .
19. News: Two sweethearts reunite, marry after lives go separate directions . Lawrence Journal-World . 1995-11-26 . 2015-12-18.
20. Web site: J. C. Nichols and the Shaping of Kansas City . University of Missouri Press . 2015-12-16.
21. News: McFadden . Robert D. . Donald J. Tyson, Food Tycoon, Is Dead at 80 . The New York Times . 2011-01-06 . 2015-12-16.
22. Web site: Little, Chauncey Bundy (1877-1952) . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . U.S. Congress . 2015-12-18.
23. Web site: Little, Edward Campbell (1858-1924) . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . U.S. Congress . 2015-12-18.
24. Web site: Logan, James Kenneth . Biographical Directory of Federal Judges . Federal Judicial Center . 2015-12-18.
25. Web site: McVey, Walter Lewis, Jr. (1922-2014) . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . U.S. Congress . 2015-12-18.
26. Web site: Snowbarger, Vincent K. (1949-) . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . U.S. Congress . 2015-12-16.
27. News: Hrenchir . Tim . Former Kansas Gov. John Anderson Jr. dies at 97 . The Topeka Capital-Journal . 2014-09-17 . 2015-12-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222224040/http://cjonline.com/news/2014-09-17/former-kansas-gov-john-anderson-jr-dies-97 . December 22, 2015 .
28. Web site: Keith Esau's Biography . Vote Smart . 2015-12-18.
29. Web site: Herbert S. Hadley . Washington University in St. Louis . 2015-12-16.
30. Web site: Kansas Governor George Hartshorn Hodges . National Governors Association . 2015-12-16.
31. Web site: Julia Lynn's Biography . Vote Smart . 2015-12-18.
32. Web site: Bob Montgomery's Biography . Vote Smart . 2015-12-16.
33. Web site: Robert Olson's Biography . Vote Smart . 2015-12-16.
34. Web site: Mark Parkinson . Kansapedia . Kansas Historical Society . 2015-12-16.
35. Web site: Ron Ryckman, Jr.'s Biography . Vote Smart . 2015-12-18.
36. Web site: Kansas Governor John Pierce St. John . National Governors Association . 2015-12-16.
37. "Harold L. Sebring (Cockrell '28)," The Brief: Phi Delta Phi Quarterly, vol., 51 p. 154 (1955).
38. Web site: Hulston . Nancy J. . Albert Isaac Beach . The Kansas City Public Library . 2015-12-16 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20151222090844/http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=%2FBiographies&CISOPTR=67&CISOBOX=1&REC=2 . December 22, 2015 . mdy-all .
39. Web site: Arland Bruce . databaseFootball.com . 16 December 2015 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20160411201608/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=BRUCEARL01 . April 11, 2016 .
40. Web site: Don Davis . NFL . 16 December 2015.
41. Web site: Bryan Shepherd Bio . North Dakota State Athletics . 1 May 2016.
42. Web site: Olathe North grad Isaiah Simmons picked 8th overall in NFL Draft by Arizona Cardinals . 23 April 2020 . The Kansas City Star . 27 September 2020.
43. Web site: Darren Sproles . Pro-Football-Reference.com . 16 December 2015.
44. Web site: Dan Glass, President . Front Office Biographies . Kansas City Royals . 2015-12-18.
45. Web site: Claude Hendrix . Baseball-Reference.com . 2015-12-18.
46. Census entry for Luther Taylor, age 10. Ancestry.com.. Kansas State Census Collection, 1855–1925 [database on-line]. 1895 Kansas State Census. Microfilm reels K-1 – K-169. Kansas State Historical Society.
47. Web site: NBA Legend Manute Bol Finds 'Home' in Kansas . NPR . 2007-08-02 . 2015-12-16.
48. Web site: Willie Cauley-Stein . Basketball-Reference.com . 2015-12-16.
49. Web site: Arnett . Dugan . Danielle McCray selected 7th in WNBA Draft by Connecticut Sun . KU Sports.com . 2010-04-08 . 2015-12-16.
50. Wilco . Daniel . Rewriting History: Loving basketball even after your hoop dreams collapse . Sports Illustrated . 2015-07-28 . 2017-10-25.
51. News: Copel . Lib . Games People Play . The Washington Post . 2000-04-13 . 2015-12-16.
52. Web site: Valazquez . Eric . Snowboarder Steve Fisher Makes A Run At Olympic Glory This Winter . On the Snow . 2009-12-22 . 2015-12-16.
53. Web site: Eric Lynch Biography . Compatible Poker . 2015-12-18.
54. News: Brannick . Chris . OKC Energy FC signs Michael Thomas as first player in team history . The Oklahoman . 2014-01-29 . 2015-12-16.