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List of people from Holyoke, Massachusetts

The people listed below were all born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with the city of Holyoke, Massachusetts, U.S.

Notable people

<span style="color:blue;">(B)</span> denotes that the person was born there.

Academics and educators

  • Lois Green Carr (1922–2015), American historian whose work primarily focused on Chesapeake Bay; daughter of Constance McLaughlin Green <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Joseph Ellis (born 1943), Pulitzer Prize-winning American historian best known for his work on the founders of the United States
  • Henrietta Hooker (1851–1929), botanist and educator, among the first women to receive a doctorate in botany from an American university
  • Constance McLaughlin Green (1897–1975), Pulitzer Prize-winning American historian best known for her history of Washington, D.C.; her dissertation and first major published work was a comprehensive history of Holyoke
  • Justin Perkins (1805–1869), Presbyterian missionary, and linguist, described as an "apostle to Persia" <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Edward Pinkowski (1916–2020), writer, journalist, and historian whose focus was Polish-American history; best remembered as re-discoverer of the bones of Casimir Pulaski <span style="color:blue">(B)</span>
  • Dorothy E. Reilly (1920–1996), nurse, played instrumental role in the development of nursing education in the United States and Canada; inductee in American Nurses Association Hall of Fame <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Ervin Staub (born 1938), professor emeritus of psychology, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst; founding director of the doctoral program on the psychology of peace and violence
  • Morris Swadesh (1909–1967), linguist known for the Swadesh list, a compilation of unifying concepts across cultures for the purposes of comparative linguistics <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • David E. Sweet (1933–1984), founding president of Metropolitan State University and later president of Rhode Island College <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Eric Toensmeier (born 1970), lecturer in permaculture and regenerative agriculture at Yale University, author of Paradise Lot, documenting his work with Jonathan Bates converting a house in Holyoke into a permaculture garden

Artists

Business and industry

  • Michael J. Kittredge II (1952–2019), businessman, founder of the Yankee Candle Company; alumnus of Holyoke Community College; opened his first factory in a Holyoke mill before relocating to South Deerfield
  • Junius Spencer Morgan (1813–1890), businessman, father of J. P. Morgan <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Belle Skinner (1866–1928), businesswoman and philanthropist who donated Wistariahurst to the city, and worked with Holyoke's government to reconstruct the village of Apremont, France after the First World War
  • J. Lewis Wyckoff (1864–1931), businessman and co-founder of stationery manufacturer White & Wyckoff, golf promoter, and credited with Holyoke's 1909 annexation of Smith's Ferry

Clergy

Government and law

  • David M. Bartley (born 1935), politician and educator <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Stanley C. Cox (1883–1942), physician and head of the Medical Division of the Office of Civilian Defense during World War II
  • Maurice A. Donahue (1918–1999), Massachusetts state representative and president of the Massachusetts Senate <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Eileen Donoghue (born 1954), former member of Massachusetts Senate, city manager of Lowell, Massachusetts <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Donald Dwight (born 1931), newspaper executive of Holyoke Telegram-Transcript Dwight family, 64th lieutenant governor of Massachusetts during Governor Francis Sargent's administration <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Bob Goodlatte, U.S. representative from Virginia, served as chair of the House Judiciary Committee (2013–2019) and chair of the House Agriculture Committee (2003–2007) <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Marshall Green (1916–1998), assistant secretary of state <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Robert Jubinville (born 1946), member of the Massachusetts Governor's Council and one of three board-certified criminal trial attorneys in the Commonwealth <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • François A. Pouliot (1896–1990), member of the Legislative Assembly of Quebec <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Grace Mary Stern (1925–1998), Illinois state legislator; born in Holyoke <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • William Whiting, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts
  • William Fairfield Whiting, former U.S. secretary of commerce

Military

Music

  • Chuck Andrus (1928–1997), professional double-bassist, played with Terry Gibbs and Woody Herman among other jazz musicians <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Hal Blaine (1929–2019), professional drummer, member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, member of The Wrecking Crew <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Larry Chesky (1933–2011), polka band leader, inducted in 1985 in the International Polka Hall of Fame in Chicago, and manager of the Polka record label Rex Records <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Morris Goldenberg (1919–1969), percussionist, taught at Juilliard and developed a series of widely used percussionist education books, staff musician of New York's WOR, and NBC; inductee of Percussive Arts Society Hall of Fame <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • William Churchill Hammond (1860–1949), organist, choirmaster, and music educator influential in establishing Mount Holyoke College's music major
  • Ron Hurst (born 1950), drummer, member of the band Steppenwolf 1984–2018 <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Jim Manley (born 1940), songwriter and pastor, known for 1975 hymn "Spirit", included as song number 319 in Presbyterian Hymnal <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Kurt Riley (born 1987), rock and roll musician <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>

Scientists and engineers

Sports

  • Bob Adams (1901–1996), Major League Baseball pitcher who played two games for the Boston Red Sox, later coaching the Lehigh Engineers <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Paul Azinger (born 1960), professional golfer, winner of 1993 PGA Championship, and captain of the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Jack Buck (1924–2002), sportscaster in Baseball Hall of Fame <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Dick Burns (1863–1937), 19th-century MLB pitcher and outfielder <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Sam Carrigan (1921–2008), Major League Baseball umpire who worked four full seasons in the American League <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Joan Newton Cuneo (1876–1934), race car driver, known for her competence and winning races against drivers both male and female; her successful career influenced a subsequent ban on women in racing <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Jack Doyle (1869–1958), Irish American baseball player who settled in Holyoke and served as police commissioner 1908–09
  • Jeff Eisenberg (born 1956), professional hockey and advertising executive, whose first position as a general assistant manager of a sports team began with the Holyoke Millers in the summer of 1980
  • Peter Fatse (born 1987), professional baseball coach, assistant hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Kenny Gamble (born 1965), former college football record breaker and NFL running back <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Gerry Geran (1896–1981), Olympic silver medalist, first American-born player in the National Hockey League <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Fran Healy (born 1946), Major League Baseball catcher for the Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, and New York Yankees; broadcaster for the Yankees and New York Mets
  • Jessica Huot (born 1983), former competitive ice dancer for Finland, Finnish national champion 2002–2004 <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Eddie Hurley (1908–1969), Major League Baseball umpire <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • J. J. Jennings (born 1952), American football tailback and fullback who played for Rutgers in college, and opted to play in the short-lived World Football League rather than being drafted to the NFL <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Mike LaPlante (born 1966), college basketball head coach, NBA scout and lawyer
  • Joe Lapchick (1900–1970), professional basketball player who played for the Interstate Basketball League's Holyoke Reds and Original Celtics
  • Frank Leja (1936–1991), Major League Baseball first baseman for the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Angels <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Dean Lombardi (born 1958), general manager of NHL's Los Angeles Kings <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Joe Lucey (1897–1980), pitcher and shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • George Malley (born 1955), long-distance runner who broke the American men's 12&nbsp;km record for road races at Holyoke on March 21, 1981
  • Roger Marquis (1937–2004), right fielder who played a single game and registered one at bat for the Baltimore Orioles in 1955 at the age of 18 <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Frank McCoy (1881–1954), American football coach, head coach of the University of Maine <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • William G. Morgan (1870–1942), inventor of volleyball, first developed as the sport "Mintonette" at the Holyoke YMCA
  • Archie Roberts (born 1942), former college football and NFL quarterback; heart surgeon <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Donald Ross (1872–1948), Scottish-American professional golfer; notable golf course architect who was initially backed by J. Lewis Wyckoff
  • H. R. Schenker (1882–1922), American football and baseball coach; head football coach for the Duke Blue Devils football University of Texas at Austin <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Herman G. Steiner (1897–1982), American football, baseball, and track coach; head football coach for the Duke Blue Devils football program
  • Tommy Tucker (1863–1935), Major League Baseball first baseman who spent most of his career with the Boston Beaneaters, precursor to the Boston Braves <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Nelson Vargas (born 1974), Major League Soccer forward for the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion, recipient of 4 caps with the U.S. Men's National Soccer Team, member of 1996 US Olympic soccer team <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Mickey Welch (1859–1941), Major League Baseball pitcher, nicknamed "Smiling Mickey"; spent most of his professional career with the New York Giants
  • Mark Wohlers (born 1970), MLB relief pitcher who won a World Series in 1995 with the Atlanta Braves <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>

Stage and screen

  • Michael Berresse (born 1964), actor, choreographer, and stage director <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Pauline Curley (1903–2000), vaudevillian and silent film actress in the early 20th century <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Ann Dowd (born 1956), Emmy award-winning actress <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Ormi Hawley (1889–1942), actress in silent films, reportedly appearing in more than 300 motion pictures <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Hal Holbrook (1925–2021), Emmy award-winning actor, member of the Valley Players at Mountain Park, 1941–1962
  • T. J. Jagodowski (born 1971), actor and comedian
  • Bambi Jones (born 1931), burlesque performer, vedette, inductee in the Burlesque Hall of Fame <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Melanie Kinnaman (born 1954), actress <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Rachel Maddow (born 1973), television host, political commentator, and Rhodes Scholar; got her first broadcasting job in 1999 at WRNX (100.9 FM) in Holyoke
  • Michael Nozik (born 1954), film producer, recipient of 2004 award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts for his work on The Motorcycle Diaries <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Steve Porter (born 1978), award-winning music video producer, remixer and DJ, owning and operating Porterhouse Media
  • Eva Tanguay (1879–1947), the "I Don't Care Girl", vaudevillian

Writers

  • Polly Adler (1900–1962), madam connected to Lucky Luciano, ran a bordello frequented by celebrities and a New York mayor, known for work A House Is Not a Home, posthumously made into a film by the same name
  • Donald Bevan (1920–2013), World War II combat veteran, playwright and writer of Stalag 17 <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Lettie S. Bigelow (1849–1906), poet and author
  • Mary Doyle Curran (1917–1981), poet and novelist <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Jacques Ducharme (1910–1993), writer and historian, wrote The Delusson Family, a story of a French-Canadian family in Holyoke, and the first Franco-American novel in the English language to be nationally published <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Sherri Browning Erwin (1968–present), writer <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Bartholomew Gill (1943–2002), crime fiction and mystery novelist, newspaper features writer, and columnist writing on nature and outdoor recreation for The Star-Ledger <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • John Clellon Holmes (1926–1988), author best known for Go, the first published novel depicting the Beat Generation <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Raymond Kennedy (1934–2008), novelist; set many of his books in a fictionalized Holyoke that he called "Ireland Parish" and "Hadley Falls"
  • Charles Palliser (born 1947), novelist whose most famous work, The Quincunx, has sold more than a million copies and won the 1991 Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Stanley Reynolds (1934–2016), journalist, author, and critic who spent most of his life in the United Kingdom, and was a regular contributor to The Guardian <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Neil Sheehan (1936–2021), author of ' <span style="color:blue;">(B)</span>
  • Elizabeth Towne (1865–1960), influential writer, editor, and publisher in the New Thought and self-help movements; first woman to run, unsuccessfully, for mayor of Holyoke

See also

References