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
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Owner of the Chicago Academy of Fine Arts Grew up in AuroraFrank Howell HoldenArchitectGrew up in Aurora
Film, radio, and television Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Actor and singer Father was employed in AuroraRadio news anchor and pastorBorn in Aurorahttps://www.audacy.com/wbbm780/authors/cisco-cotto title= WBBM Newsradio Morning Host Cisco Cotto Adult model and actress Born in AuroraLongtime Chicago news anchormanRaised in Aurora Emmy-nominated actress Born in Aurora Actress, co-star of ABC's Castle Attended West Aurora High SchoolRadio personality and program directorBorn in Aurora ActorLives in AuroraScreenwriter and directorBorn in AuroraChicago Tribune and WGN-TV meteorologistBorn in Aurora Actor Born in Aurora
Music
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Singer-songwriter (a.k.a. The Ragtime King) Entertainer, singer and composer Born in Aurora Organist Lived in Aurora and is buried there Banjoist, singer, Yonder Mountain String Band Musician Raised in Aurora and taught music there Violinist Began violin and piano lessons in Aurora in 1874Life & Career Timeline of Maud Powell. Born 1867 in Peru, Illinois, began violin & piano lessons in Aurora in 1874 R&B singer Attended East Aurora High School Soul vocalist and rock and blues guitarist; member of Frank Zappa's touring ensembles
Writing and journalism
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Adventure novelist and marine archaeologist Born in Aurora Author and poet Raised in Aurora Short story writer Raised in AuroraProlific novelistBorn in Aurora Wrote the Alice and Jerry basal reader series Attended East Aurora High School Pulitzer Prize-winning historian; college football coach Born in Aurora Novelist Born in AuroraNew York journalist, business woman, school founderBorn in AuroraPioneering gay journalist and authorValerie TaylorAuthor of lesbian pulp fiction novels and poetryBorn in Aurora
Business and administrative
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Former president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League Born in Aurora Former CEO of Enron Corporation Attended West Aurora High School
Law and crime
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReferenceLawyer and online personalityBorn in AuroraJustice of the Supreme Court of IllinoisBorn in Aurora Depression-era outlaw Chief justice of the Illinois Supreme CourtBorn in Aurora
Military
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Combat medic in the Vietnam War and recipient of the Medal of Honor Born in Aurora Member of the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II and recipient of the Medal of Honor Born in Aurora U.S. Marine and recipient of the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam Born in Aurora
Politics
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference State legislator, Wisconsin; head football coach at University of Iowa Born in Aurora Chairman of the Republican Party of Wisconsin Born in Aurora U.S. congressman and founder of Copley Michael J. Davis Chief justice of the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota Raised in Aurora Illinois state congresswoman Lived and died in Aurora U.S. senator from and 11th governor of Nebraska Born in AuroraMatt HansonState representative Lived in Aurora Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Born in Aurora Retired law professor and author Born in Aurora Illinois state senator Born in Aurora Illinois state congressman Born in Aurora Illinois state congressman Born in Aurora U.S. congressman Attended schools in Aurora U.S. congressman from Florida Born in Aurora Former chief of staff to U.S. congressman Dennis Hastert Attended Aurora University Illinois state congressman Born in Aurora U.S. congresswoman Lived and died in Aurora U.S. congressman Born in Aurora Mayor of Aurora
Religion
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Archbishop of the Orthodox Church in America's Romanian Episcopate Born in Aurora Bishop emeritus of the Romanian Catholic Eparchy of St George's in Canton Born in Aurora Romanian Greek-Catholic priest, political prisoner, and author Lived and died in Aurora
Science
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Astrophysicist and author Born in Aurora Inventor of the Hall Braille Writer and other Braille printing devices Lived and died in Aurora Environmental activist Born in Aurora Electrical engineer, the first female president of the IEEE Born in Aurora Ecologist and college professor Born in Aurora
Sports
Baseball
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Outfielder for several Major League Baseball teams Born in Aurora Pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs Attended Waubonsie Valley High School Pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams Born in Aurora Pitcher for five Major League Baseball teams Born in Aurora Pitcher for Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates Born in Aurora Relief pitcher for California Angels, Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Twins Born in Aurora Pitcher for Texas Rangers Born in Aurora Pitcher for Philadelphia Athletics Born in Aurora
Basketball
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Small forward for several NBA teams Born in Aurora Point guard, UConn 2014 National Championship team Born in Aurora Shooting guard for the Minneapolis Lakers Born in Aurora NBA player of early 1950s Born in Aurora Basketball head coach, Kentucky, Tennessee, Florida Born in Aurora College basketball assistant and head coach Born in Aurora
Football
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Running back for four National Football League teams Born in Aurora Guard for Chicago Bears and Los Angeles Rams; Super Bowl XX champion Born 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 2006–10 Born in Aurora Linebacker for San Diego Chargers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers Born in Aurora Guard in Canadian Football League 1969–79 Born in Aurora Head coach in College Football Hall of Fame Born in Aurora Running back for Boston Redskins and Chicago Cardinals Born in Aurora Linebacker for Washington Redskins Born in Aurora Defensive line coach for Cleveland Browns Born in Aurora Guard for NFL's Chicago Cardinals Born in Aurora Defensive tackle for Washington Redskins Born in Aurora
Golf
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference College coach and PGA Tour player Born in Aurora
Gymnastics
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Artistic gymnast; member of the U.S. National Team; alternate at the Summer 2012 London Olympics Graduated from Waubonsie Valley High School; lives in Aurora
Ice Hockey
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Professional ice hockey defenseman for the Seattle Torrent Born in Aurora
Sports-related professionals
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Architect of Old Comiskey Park (1910), Wrigley Field (1914) Born in Aurora Sportscaster for the Los Angeles Lakers Born in Aurora
Soccer
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference ForwardHometownForwardBorn in Aurora Defender and forward Born in Aurora
Track and field
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference World record javelin thrower Born in Aurora
Wrestling
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Wrestling coach and COO of Real American Freestyle Born in Aurora
References