The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Bloomington, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Bloomington, Illinois.
Academics and writing
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Mystery writer Lura Eyestone Educator Born in Bloomington Typographer Born in Bloomington Essayist Born in Bloomington Naturalist Professor at Illinois Wesleyan University prior to first western expedition Novelist, jazz musician Born in Chicago, lived in Bloomington since age 8 Author Author, novelist, essayist, and theorist
Business and engineering
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Founder of State Farm Insurance Lived and died in Bloomington Award-winning game designer Lives in Bloomington Founder of Winchell's Donuts Born in Bloomington
Media and arts
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Cartoonist Grew up in Bloomington Eisner Award-nominated artist and illustrator Graduated BHS, Class of 1985 Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post journalist Worked for Pantagraph newspaper in Bloomington Jazz pianist Born in Bloomington Playwright Born in Bloomington Musician and keyboardist of the pop band Mr. Mister Born in Bloomington Actor (Edward W. Stratton, III on Silver Spoons) Born in Bloomington Musician and songwriter focusing on the American roots genre Born in BloomingtonBritt LowerAug 2, 1985ActressBorn in Bloomington Silent-film actress and director Born in Bloomington Actress, former Miss Illinois Teen USA in 1988 Grew up in Bloomington Wild West showman Born in Bloomington Artist and sculptor of the Old West Lived in Bloomington Scriptwriter and humorist, creator of Vic and Sade Grew up in BloomingtonClaire Schade18931991Actor, dancer, and singer; mother of George Lincoln RockwellBorn and grew up in Bloomington Million-dollar Chicago Tribune cartoonist of The Gumps Worked for The Sunday Eye newspaper in Bloomington Actor (Henry Blake on M*A*S*H) Born in Normal, grew up in Bloomington Singer
Fictional
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Character on the TV show M*A*S*H
Military
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference US Air Force major general; graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy in the 3rd class to accept females; commanded Air Force Basic Military Training; first woman to command the Air Force District of Washington; highest ranking Korean-American general in the Air Force Raised in Bloomington US Army brigadier general; graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point; WWII Chief of Staff 82nd Airborne Division, Army Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit Born in Bloomington US Army general in World War I Born in Bloomington US linguist who worked on Venona project Raised in BloomingtonWilliam K. Naylor US Army brigadier general Born in Bloomington Union Army general in the Civil War Lived in Bloomington later half of life US Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient for actions at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in Korean War Born in Bloomington US Marine Corps major general who commanded Marine Forces during 1958 Lebanon crisis Born in Bloomington
Politics
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Appointed to US Supreme Court by Abraham Lincoln Lived and died in Bloomington 19th governor of Illinois Attended Illinois Wesleyan University, served as city attorney of Bloomington 18th governor of Illinois Lived in Bloomington Personal friend and bodyguard of Abraham Lincoln Labor union leader and American Federation of Labor treasurer United States senator from Georgia Born in Bloomington American Nazi leader Born in Bloomington 45th governor of Florida; United States senator from Florida Born in Bloomington 23rd vice president of the United States under Grover Cleveland; his wife Letitia Green was born in Bloomington Was raised in Bloomington and attended Illinois Wesleyan University 31st governor of Illinois, US presidential candidate, and US ambassador to the United Nations Was raised in Bloomington and attended University High School
Sports
Baseball
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Catcher for Philadelphia Athletics and Boston Red Sox Born in Bloomington Second baseman for Montreal Expos Born in Bloomington Radio sports announcer for Oakland Athletics and Oakland/LA Raiders; Baseball Hall of Fame Born in Bloomington Shortstop for Washington Senators Born in Bloomington Outfielder for Brooklyn Robins, Boston Braves, Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox Born in Bloomington Pitcher for Cleveland Spiders, St. Louis Perfectos, St. Louis Browns and New York Highlanders Born in Bloomington Pitcher in Baseball Hall of Fame Lived and died in Bloomington Pitcher for Pittsburgh Pirates Born in Bloomington
Basketball
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference NCAA basketball player and coach Attended University High School
Football
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Player for Michigan and Purdue; head coach at Michigan (1959–1968); athletic director at Iowa (1970–1991); College Football Hall of Fame Raised in Bloomington Quarterback of undefeated Michigan football teams (1947 and 1948); head coach at Nebraska, Illinois, Cal, and Miami; College Football Hall of Fame Born in Bloomington Tight end for New Orleans Saints Born in Bloomington Former NFL cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles Born in Bloomington
Volleyball
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference US volleyball team member in the 2004 Olympics and 2008 Olympics (silver medalist); graduate of University High School Born in Bloomington
Australian football Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Head coach of Adelaide Football Club in Australian Football League, player for West Coast Eagles, 1990s Born in Bloomington
References