List of people from Wichita, Kansas

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This is a list of notable persons who were born in and/or have lived in the American city of Wichita, Kansas.

Academia

• Robert Ballard (1942- ), oceanographer
• Elizabeth Bates (1947-2003), cognitive neuroscientist, developmental psychologist
• James Earl Baumgartner (1943-2011), mathematician
• James F. Crow (1916-2012), geneticist
• Juan R. Cruz (1946- ), aerospace engineer
• John W. Dawson, Jr (1944- ), mathematician
• Linda Flower (1944- ), composition theorist, college professor
• L. Adrien Hannus (1944- ), anthropologist
• Leo George Hertlein (1898-1972), paleontologist
• Howard W. Johnston (1913-2005), educator, founder of the Free University of Berlin
• Kenn Kaufman (1954- ), author, bird expert, conservationist
• John Gamble Kirkwood (1907-1959), chemist, physicist
• Mirra Komarovsky (1905-1999), sociologist
• Lincoln LaPaz (1897-1985), astronomer
• Judith Ann Mayotte (1937- ), ethicist, humanitarian
• M. Lee Pelton (1950- ), university administrator
• Vernon L. Smith (1927- ), economist
• Robert Whittaker (1920-1980), plant ecologist

Arts and entertainment

Fashion

• Lindsey Wixson (1994- ), model

Film, television, and theatre

• Bill Allen (1962- ), actor
• Kirstie Alley (1951- ), actress
• Annette Bening (1958- ), actress
• Louise Brooks (1906-1985), actress
• Chris Buck (1960- ), director, animator
• Darren E. Burrows (1966- ), actor
• Christopher Connelly (1941-1988), actor
• Bruce Conner (1933-2008), experimental filmmaker, visual artist
• Al Corley (1956- ), actor, singer
• Lorianne Crook (1957- ), radio and TV host, producer, writer
• Julie Cypher (1964- ), film director
• Ruby Dandridge (1900-1987), actress
• John Duncan (1953- ), performance artist
• Tamara Feldman (1980- ), actress
• Alan Fudge (1944-2011), actor
• Jonathan Glickman (1969- ), film producer
• Laurel Goodwin (1942- ), actress
• Colton Haynes (1988- ), actor
• Herb Jeffries (1913-2014), actor, singer-songwriter
• Don Johnson (1949- ), actor
• Robert Kelker-Kelly (1964- ), actor
• Jeffrey L. Kimball (1943- ), cinematographer
• Hattie McDaniel (1895-1952), actress
• Vera Miles (1929- ), actress
• Gentry Miller (1988- ), Miss Kansas USA 2012
• Jeff Probst (1961- ), TV talk and reality show host
• Danny Roew (1980- ), film director
• Vivian Schilling (1968- ), actress, novelist, screenwriter
• Kendall Schmidt (1990- ), actor
• Cynthia Sikes (1954- ), actress
• Barbara Sinatra (1927- ), model, showgirl
• Sinbad (1956- ), comedian, actor
• Norma Smallwood (1909-1966), Miss America 1926
• David Rees Snell (1966- ), actor
• Taryn Southern (1986- ), actress, comedian, singer
• John Cameron Swayze (1906-1995), TV journalist, game show panelist, product spokesperson
• Hannah Wagner (1996- ), Miss Kansas 2015
• Jessie E. Woods (1909-2001), stunt pilot

Journalism

• David Bloom (1963-2003), television reporter
• Cheryl Burton (1962- ), news anchor
• Steve Doocy (1956- ), news anchor
• Shon Gables, news anchor
• Gregg Jarrett (1955- ), news anchor
• Mike Jerrick (1950- ), news anchor
• Jim Lehrer (1934- ), journalist, news anchor
• Melissa McDermott, news anchor
• Susan Page (1951- ), journalist
• Susan Peters, news anchor
• Tracy Rowlett (1942- ), news anchor, sports reporter
• W. Eugene Smith (1918-1978), photojournalist

Literature

• Mik Everett, Southern Gothic novelist
• Loren Goodman (1968- ), poet, professor
• William Inge (1913-1973), novelist, playwright
• Michael McClure (1932- ), Beat poet, playwright, novelist
• Antonya Nelson (1961- ), novelist, short story writer
• Randall Parrish (1858-1923), dime novelist
• Janet Peery (1948- ), novelist, short story writer
• Scott Phillips (1961- ), novelist
• Rolf Potts (1970- ), travel writer, essayist
• Deborah Raney (1955- ), novelist
• Lois Ruby, novelist
• Sharon Shinn (1957- ), novelist
• Earl Thompson (1931-1978), novelist
• Clare Vanderpool (1965- ), Newbery Medal-winning children's author
• Stephen Yenser (1941- ), poet, literary critic

Music

• Matt Alber (1975- ), singer-songwriter
• Terry Allen (1943- ), country singer, visual artist
• Chris Arpad (1967- ), solo steel pannist
• Jay Bentley (1964- ), bass guitarist
• Gage Brewer (1904-1985), guitarist, bandleader
• Freddie Brooks (1962- ), blues harmonica player, singer-songwriter
• Karla Burns, opera singer, actress
• Gaylord Carter (1905-2000), organist, composer
• Nancy Cartonio (1977- ), folk musician, songwriter, producer
• Les C. Copeland (1887-1942), composer, pianist
• Annette Daniels (1961-2004), opera singer
• Martha Davis (1917-1960), singer, pianist
• Gordon Goodwin (1954- ), composer, pianist, saxophonist
• Donavan "XV" Johnson (1985- ), rapper
• Stan Kenton (1911-1979), composer, jazz pianist
• Kidd Chris (1974- ), disc jockey
• Bob Koester (1932- ), blues and jazz record producer
• Shawn Lee (1963- ), multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer
• Chris Mann (1982- ), singer-songwriter
• Kirke Mechem (1925- ), composer
• Brian Alexander Morgan, record producer
• Rich Mullins (1955-1997), Christian music singer-songwriter
• Scott Muni (1930-2004), disc jockey
• Vernon Oxford (1941- ), country music singer, fiddler, guitarist
• Marvin Rainwater (1925-2013), singer-songwriter
• William M. Runyan (1870-1957), Christian composer who wrote "Great is Thy Faithfulness"
• Mark Shelton, heavy metal musician (Manilla Road)
• Phil Stacey (1978- ), singer
• Charlie Tuna (1944- ), disc jockey, radio personality
• Joe Walsh (1947- ), rock guitarist, singer-songwriter
• Johnny Western (1934- ), singer-songwriter, actor, disc jockey

Other visual arts

• Jerry Bittle (1949-2003), cartoonist
• Blackbear Bosin (1921-1980), painter, sculptor
• Reed Crandall (1917-1982), comic book artist
• Mary Fuller (1922- ), sculptor
• Laura Gilpin (1891-1979), photographer
• Jack Hamm (1916-1996), cartoonist
• John Noble (1874-1934), painter, photographer
• Tom Otterness (1952- ), sculptor
• Bob Peak (1927-1992), illustrator
• Edward Walters, painter, sculptor
• W. H. Weeks (1864-1936), architect

Business

• Olive Ann Beech (1903-1993), U.S. aviation pioneer and businesswoman
• Walter Herschel Beech (1891-1950), aviator, industrialist
• Dan and Frank Carney, businessmen, founders of Pizza Hut
• Clyde Cessna (1879-1954), aviation industrialist
• Jesse Chisholm (1805-1868), trader
• William Coffin Coleman (1870-1957), inventor, founder of the Coleman Company
• Bill Koch (1940- ), businessman, sailor
• Charles G. Koch (1935- ), business magnate
• David H. Koch (1940- ), business magnate
• Clay Lacy (1932- ), aviation entrepreneur, pilot, aerial cinematographer
• Bill Lear (1902-1978), aviation industrialist, inventor
• Albert Mooney (1904-1986), aircraft designer, aviation entrepreneur
• Herbert Rawdon (1904-1975), aircraft engineer
• Phil Ruffin (1936- ), business magnate
• Lloyd Stearman (1898-1975), engineer, aviation industrialist
• Dwane L. Wallace, aircraft designer, former CEO and chairman of Cessna Aircraft
• C. Howard Wilkins, Jr. (1938- ), Pizza Hut executive and franchisee, Republican fundraiser, and United States Ambassador to the Netherlands

Crime and law enforcement

• Robert Beattie, lawyer, non-fiction crime writer, professor
• John Callahan (1866-1936), bank robber, money launderer
• Gary Lee Davis (1944-1997), murderer, rapist
• Rose Dunn (1878-1955), outlaw
• James Earp (1841-1926), lawman, saloon keeper
• Wyatt Earp (1848-1929), lawman
• Eric Harris (1981-1999), mass murderer
• Cassius M. Hollister (1845-1884), lawman
• Bat Masterson (1853-1921), lawman, buffalo hunter, journalist
• Ed Masterson (1852-1878), lawman, buffalo hunter
• James Masterson (1855-1895), lawman, buffalo hunter
• Dennis "BTK" Rader (1945- ), serial killer
• O.W. Wilson (1900-1972), police chief

Medicine

• Hugh D. Riordan (1932-2005), psychiatrist, researcher
• George Tiller (1941-2009), physician, abortion provider

Military

• Erwin R. Bleckley (1894-1918), U.S. Army Air Services aviator, Medal of Honor recipient
• Laura M. Cobb (1892-1981), World War II naval nurse
• Richard Cowan (1922-1944), soldier, Medal of Honor recipient
• Paul Frederick Foster (1889-1972), U.S. Navy Vice Admiral
• James Jabara (1923-1966), military aviator
• William McGonagle (1925-1999), U.S. Navy Captain
• Bryce Poe II (1924-2000), U.S. Air Force General

Politics

See also: List of mayors of Wichita, Kansas

National

• William Augustus Ayres (1867-1952), U.S. Representative from Kansas
• Sheila Bair (1954- ), Chairperson of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
• James Franklin Battin (1925-1996), U.S. Representative from Montana
• Richard Ely Bird (1878-1955), U.S. Representative from Kansas
• Robert C. Bonner (1942- ), U.S. federal judge
• Earl Browder (1891-1973), Chairman of the Communist Party USA
• Dwight Chapin (1940- ), Deputy Assistant to President Richard Nixon
• Betty Dodson (1929- ), sexologist, political activist
• Ann Dunham (1942-1995), mother of President Barack Obama
• Stanley Armour Dunham (1918-1992), maternal grandfather of President Barack Obama
• David M. Ebel (1940- ), U.S. federal judge
• Gregory Kent Frizzell (1956- ), U.S. federal judge
• Robert Gates (1943- ), U.S. Secretary of Defense
• Dan Glickman (1944- ), U.S. Representative from Kansas, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
• Donald L. Hollowell (1917-2004), civil rights attorney
• John Mills Houston (1890-1975), U.S. Representative from Kansas
• William Marion Jardine (1879-1955), U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
• Hugh S. Johnson (1881-1942), National Recovery Administration chief
• Patrick F. Kelly (1929-2007), U.S. federal judge
• Mary Elizabeth Lease (1850-1933), political activist, lecturer
• Chester I. Long (1860-1934), U.S. Senator from Kansas
• Edmond H. Madison (1865-1911), U.S. Representative from Kansas
• George McGill (1879-1963), U.S. Senator from Kansas
• Eric F. Melgren (1956- ), U.S. federal judge
• Troy Newman (1966- ), anti-abortion activist
• Roger Noriega (1959- ), U.S. Ambassador to the OAS
• Gale Norton (1954- ), U.S. Secretary of the Interior
• James Reeb (1927-1965), civil rights activist, Unitarian Universalist minister
• Jim Ryun (1947- ), U.S. Representative from Kansas, Former Olympic athlete
• Dale E. Saffels (1921-2002), U.S. federal judge
• Garner E. Shriver (1912-1998), U.S. Representative from Kansas
• Horace G. Snover (1847-1924), U.S. Representative from Michigan
• Arlen Specter (1930-2012), U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
• Ron Walters (1938-2010), civil rights activist, author, professor
• Jack B. Weinstein (1921- ), U.S. federal judge
• Roy Lee Williams (1915-1989), labor union leader
• Gerald Burton Winrod (1900-1957), Nazi sympathizer, anti-Semitic political activist
• Ron Wyden (1949- ), U.S. Senator from Oregon

State

• Edward F. Arn (1906-1998), 32nd Governor of Kansas
• Donald Betts (1978- ), Kansas state legislator
• Oletha Faust-Goudeau, Kansas state legislator
• U. L. Gooch (1923- ), Kansas state legislator
• Harry L. Gordon (1860-1921), Lieutenant Governor of Ohio
• Raj Goyle (1975- ), Kansas politician
• Tom Malone (1953- ), Kansas Court of Appeals judge
• Elaine Nekritz (1957- ), Illinois state legislator
• Leslie Osterman (1947- ), State Representative from Wichita since 2011
• Mark Parkinson (1957- ), 45th Governor of Kansas
• David L. Payne (1836-1884), leader of the "Boomer Army" to settle Oklahoma
• Rebecca Petty (1970- ), Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives and advocate of child crime victims; born in Wichita, resides in Rogers, Arkansas
• John Rankin Rogers (1838-1901), 3rd Governor of Washington
• Tom Sawyer (1958- ), Kansas state legislator
• William E. Stanley (1844-1910), 15th Governor of Kansas
• Sara Steelman (1946- ), Pennsylvania state legislator
• David Stras (1974- ), Minnesota Supreme Court Justice
• Dale Swenson (1957- ), State Representative from Wichita, 2001 to 2011
• Susan Wagle (1953- ), Kansas state legislator
• Vincent Wetta (1945- ), Kansas state legislator

Religion

• Bruce P. Blake, United Methodist Church bishop
• Leo Christopher Byrne (1908-1974), Roman Catholic Church archbishop
• Thomas Olmsted (1947- ), Roman Catholic Church bishop
• Michael Sheehan (1939- ), Roman Catholic Church archbishop
• Richard B. Wilke, United Methodist Church bishop

Sports

American football

• David Arkin (1987- ), Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle
• Tony Barker (1968- ), NFL linebacker
• Mark Bell (1957- ), NFL defensive end
• Mike Bell (1957- ), Kansas City Chiefs defensive end
• Russ Bolinger (1954- ), NFL offensive lineman
• Arthur Brown (1990- ), NFL linebacker
• Bryce Brown (1991- ), NFL running back
• Don Calhoun (1952- ), NFL running back
• Mark Duckens (1965- ), NFL defensive end, tackle
• Ron Faurot (1962- ), New York Jets defensive end
• Ted Gilmore (1967- ), wide receivers coach
• Kelly Gregg (1976- ), NFL nose tackle
• Randy Jackson (1948-2010), running back
• Allen Lyday (1960- ), NFL defensive back
• Elbert Mack (1986- ), cornerback
• Bruce McCray (1963- ), Chicago Bears defensive back
• Brian Moorman (1976- ), punter
• Lawrence Pete (1966- ), Detroit Lions nose tackle
• Ed Philpott (1945- ), linebacker
• David Rader (1957- ), quarterback, coach
• Barry Sanders (1968- ), Detroit Lions running back, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Gale Sayers (1943- ), Chicago Bears running back, Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
• Jeff Smith (1962- ), running back
• Sid Smith (1948- ), offensive lineman
• Rashad Washington (1980- ), linebacker
• Kamerion Wimbley (1983- ), NFL defensive end

Auto racing

• Rick Mears (1951- ), race car driver, 4-time winner of Indy 500
• Roger Mears (1947- ), off-road driver
• A.J. Shepherd (1926-2005), race car driver
• Jeff Wood (1957- ), race car driver

Baseball

• Melba Alspaugh (1925-1983), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League outfielder
• Jeff Berblinger (1970- ), second baseman
• Fritz Brickell (1935-1965), MLB shortstop
• Greg Brummett (1967- ), starting pitcher
• Clay Christensen (1958- ), pitcher
• Craig Dingman (1974- ), relief pitcher
• Darren Dreifort (1972- ), Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher
• Jeff Farnsworth (1975- ), Detroit Tigers pitcher
• Kyle Farnsworth (1976- ), MLB relief pitcher
• Gail Henley (1928- ), outfielder
• Rod Kanehl (1934-2004), MLB infielder
• Don Lock (1936- ), center fielder
• Ike McAuley (1891-1928), shortstop
• Larry McWilliams (1954- ), pitcher
• Dayton Moore (1967- ), manager
• Gaylen Pitts (1946- ), infielder, manager, coach
• Ronn Reynolds (1958- ), catcher
• Nate Robertson (1977- ), MLB pitcher
• Roger Slagle (1953- ), pitcher
• Daryl Spencer (1928- ), MLB utility infielder
• Danny Thompson (1947-1976), shortstop
• Bob Thurman (1917-1998), outfielder, pitcher, scout
• Logan Watkins (1989- ), second baseman
• Art Weaver (1879-1917), catcher
• Duane Wilson (1934- ), pitcher

Basketball

• C. J. Bruton (1975- ), pro basketball player
• Antoine Carr (1961- ), NBA power forward, center
• Greg Dreiling (1962- ), NBA center, scout
• Maurice Evans (1978- ), NBA shooting guard, small forward
• Taj Gray (1984- ), University of Oklahoma basketball player
• Adrian Griffin (1974- ), NBA guard, small forward
• Riney Lochmann (1944- ), small forward
• Dave Stallworth (1941- ), center, power forward
• Darnell Valentine (1959- ), NBA point guard
• Lynette Woodard (1959- ), 1984 Olympic U.S. basketball player, Harlem Globetrotter, WNBA guard
• Korleone Young (1978- ), small forward

Golf

• Judy Bell (1936- ), golfer
• Grier Jones (1946- ), golfer, coach
• Monty Kaser (1941-2009), golfer
• Katherine Kirk (1982- ), golfer
• Chez Reavie (1981- ), golfer
• Tom Shaw (1938- ), golfer

Soccer

• Braeden Cloutier (1974- ), forward, midfielder
• Chris Lemons (1979- ), midfielder
• Jamal Sutton (1982- ), forward

Other sports

• Caroline Bruce (1986- ), 2004 Olympic U.S. swimmer
• Jonathan Coachman (1973- ), sports anchor
• Tim Elliott (1986- ), mixed martial artist
• DJ Fisher (1982- ), sports agent
• Aaron Goldsmith (1983- ), sports announcer for the Seattle Mariners, as well as Fox Sports 1.
• Kent Howerton (1954- ), motocross racer
• Tony LeVier (1913-1998), air racer, test pilot
• Angel Medina (1970- ), pro wrestler
• Scott Moninger (1966- ), racing cyclist
• Marcio Navarro (1978- ), kickboxer and mixed martial artist
• Clarence Pinkston (1900-1961), Olympic diver
• Peter Ramondetta (1982- ), skateboarder
• Tara Snyder (1977- ), tennis player
• Marc Waldie (1955- ), Olympic volleyball player
• Ray Weishaar (1890-1924), motorcycle racer

See also

• List of lists of people from Kansas
• List of Friends University people
• List of Wichita State University people

Further reading

• History of Wichita and Sedgwick County Kansas: Past and present, including an account of the cities, towns, and villages of the county; 2 Volumes; O.H. Bentley; C.F. Cooper & Co; 454 / 479 pages; 1910. (Volume1 - Download 20MB PDF eBook),(Volume2 - Download 31MB PDF eBook)