This is a list of people from

Topeka, Kansas Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central U ...

Academia

* Warren Faidley (1957- ), meteorologist, storm chaser *

Riley Gardner Dr. Riley W. Gardner (October 31, 1921 – October 23, 2007) was an American psychologist who published works on individual differences and cognition. Early life and education Gardner was born in Ree Heights, South Dakota, and was the son of Hu ...

(1921-2007), psychologist * Wes Jackson (1936- ), environmentalist, The

Land Institute The Land Institute is an American nonprofit research, education, and policy organization dedicated to sustainable agriculture, based in Salina, Kansas. Their goal is to develop an agricultural system based on perennial crops that "has the ecolo ...

* Sokoni Karanja (1940- ), child development expert * G. Warren Nutter (1923-1979), economist *

Ruth Patrick Ruth (or its variants) may refer to: Places France * Château de Ruthie, castle in the commune of Aussurucq in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département of France Switzerland * Ruth, a hamlet in Cologny United States * Ruth, Alabama * Ruth, Ar ...

(1907-2013), botanist, limnologist * Julius Rebek (1944- ), chemist * Walton T. Roth (1939- ), psychiatrist and psychophysiological researcher VA Palo Alto Healthcare System Epicenter
*

David Curtis Skaggs, Jr. David Curtis Skaggs Jr. (born 23 March 1937 in Topeka, Kansas), is an American historian of the Colonial and Early Republic periods, who spent nearly his entire academic career at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio.''Marquis Wh ...

(1937- ), historian *

John Brooks Slaughter John Brooks Slaughter (born 16 March 1934) is an American electrical engineer and former college president who served as the first African-American director of the National Science Foundation (NSF). His work focuses on development of computer a ...

(1934- ), electrical engineer,

National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...

director

Arts and entertainment

Film, television, and theatre

* Brandon Adams (1979- ), actor *

Annette Bening Annette Carol Bening (born May 29, 1958) is an American actress. She has received various accolades throughout her career spanning over four decades, including a British Academy Film Award and two Golden Globe Awards, in addition to nominati ...

(1958- ), actress *

Gregg Binkley Gregg Binkley (born March 20, 1963) is an American television actor. He is known for playing Kenny James on ''My Name is Earl'' (2005-2009), Barney on ''Raising Hope'' (2010-2014), and Harold in '' Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation'' ...

(1963- ), actor *

Roscoe Born Roscoe Conklin Born (November 24, 1950 – March 3, 2020) was an American actor and songwriter. He is best known for his roles on various television soap operas, most notably as archvillain Mitch Laurence on ''One Life to Live'' in six stints ...

(1950-2020), actor * Alicia Cabrera (1978- ), actress,

Miss Kansas USA The Miss Kansas USA pageant is a competition that selects the representative for the state of Kansas in the Miss USA pageant. The pageant is directed by Vanbros and Associates, headquartered in Lenexa, Kansas. In 1992, the state joined the Va ...

2003 *

Jack Colvin Jack Colvin (October 13, 1934 – December 1, 2005) was an American character actor of theatre, film and TV. He is best known for the role of the tabloid reporter Jack McGee in ''The Incredible Hulk'' television franchise (1977–82). Ear ...

(1934-2005), actor * Samuel M. Comer (1893-1974), set decorator *

George Dickerson George Graf Dickerson, Jr. (July 25, 1933 – January 10, 2015) was an American actor, writer, and poet. Biography Dickerson was born July 25, 1933, in Topeka, Kansas, to George Graf Dickerson, a lawyer, and Elizabeth Dickerson (née Naumann) ...

(1933-2015), actor, poet, writer *

Jayne Houdyshell Jayne Houdyshell (born September 25, 1953) is an American, Tony-winning actress known for her performances on stage and screen. Houdyshell made her Broadway debut in the 2005 production of ''It's a Wonderful Life''. The following year she earn ...

(1953- ), actress * Jeff Kready, Broadway actor * Ted North (1916-1975), actor *

Sheila Ryan Sheila Ryan (born Katherine Elizabeth McLaughlin, June 8, 1921 – November 4, 1975) was an American actress who appeared in more than 60 movies. Career Born in Topeka, Kansas, Ryan went to Hollywood in 1939 at the age of 18. Her acting career b ...

(1921-1975), actress *

Travis Schuldt Travis Schuldt (born September 18, 1974)"Catching up with....Travis Schuldt." ''Soap Opera Digest''. August 12, 2013. p. 63. is an American actor. He originated the role of Ethan Winthrop on ''Passions'', and played the recurring roles of Keith ...

(1974- ), actor *

Lois Smith Lois Arlene Smith (née Humbert; born November 3, 1930) is an American character actress whose career spans eight decades. She made her film debut in the 1955 drama film ''East of Eden (film), East of Eden'', and later played supporting roles i ...

(1930- ), actress *

Fay Tincher Fay Tincher (April 17, 1884 – October 11, 1983) was an American comic actress in motion pictures of the silent film era. Early years Tincher was born in Topeka, Kansas, and was the daughter of George Tincher and Elizabeth Tincher. She had th ...

(1884-1983), actress

Journalism

Elizabeth Farnsworth Elizabeth Farnsworth (born 1943) is an American journalist and author of the memoir, A Train Through Time – A Life, Real and Imagined' (February, 2017). Early life and education Farnsworth was born Elizabeth Fink in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an ...

(1943- ), broadcaster, filmmaker * Donald C. Thompson (1885-1947), war photographer, director, producer

Literature

* Thomas Fox Averill (1949- ), novelist * Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000), poet * Irene Bennett Brown, American author of children's, young adult and adult fiction * Jeannette Eyerly (1908-2008), novelist, columnist *

Janet Fox Janet Fox (June 12, 1912 – April 22, 2002) was an American actress. Life and career Born in Chicago, Illinois, Fox was the niece of American novelist and playwright Edna Ferber. She studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Art after lea ...

(1940-2009), fantasy and horror writer, poet *

Jane Heap Jane Heap (November 1, 1883 – June 18, 1964) was an American publisher and a significant figure in the development and promotion of literary modernism. Together with Margaret Anderson, her friend and business partner (who for some years was al ...

(1883-1964), editor, publisher *

Ben Lerner Benjamin S. Lerner (born February 4, 1979) is an American poet, novelist, essayist, and critic. He has been a Fulbright Scholar, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, a finalist for the National Book Award, a finalist for the National Bo ...

(1979- ), poet * Karen Salyer McElmurray (1956- ), essayist, novelist *

Eric McHenry Eric McHenry (born April 12, 1972 Topeka, Kansas) is an American poet. He was the Poet Laureate of Kansas from 2015-2017. Life McHenry graduated from Topeka High School. He graduated from Beloit College and from Boston University. In April 2015 h ...

(1972- ), poet * Frances Clarke Sayers (1897-1989), author, lecturer, librarian * Ed Skoog (1971- ), poet * Linda Spalding (1943- ), novelist, editor *

Rex Stout Rex Todhunter Stout (; December 1, 1886 – October 27, 1975) was an American writer noted for his detective fiction. His best-known characters are the detective Nero Wolfe and his assistant Archie Goodwin, who were featured in 33 novels and ...

(1886-1975), novelist * Max Yoho (1934-2017), author * Kevin Young (1970/1971- ), poet, author, Director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture

Music

Phil Ehart Phillip W. Ehart (born February 4, 1950) is the drummer in the progressive rock band Kansas. He and Rich Williams are the only two members who have appeared on every Kansas album. Though his songwriting contributions to the group were few, he c ...

(1950-), drummer, founding member of the band

Kansas Kansas () is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its capital is Topeka, and its largest city is Wichita. Kansas is a landlocked state bordered by Nebraska to the north; Missouri to the east; Oklahoma to the south; and Colorado to th ...

* Streamline Ewing (1917-2002), jazz trombonist * Aulsondro "Emcee N.I.C.E." Hamilton, musician, member of KansasCali, known for

Crash Crash or CRASH may refer to: Common meanings * Collision, an impact between two or more objects * Crash (computing), a condition where a program ceases to respond * Cardiac arrest, a medical condition in which the heart stops beating * Couch su ...

soundtrack *

Coleman Hawkins Coleman Randolph Hawkins (November 21, 1904 – May 19, 1969), nicknamed "Hawk" and sometimes "Bean", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist.Yanow, Scot"Coleman Hawkins: Artist Biography" AllMusic. Retrieved December 27, 2013. One of the first p ...

(1904-1969), jazz saxophonist *

Dave Hope Dave Hope (born October 7, 1949) is an American bass guitarist who played with the American progressive rock band Kansas from 1970 (original version) until the band's first split in 1983. When he was in high school, he played defensive center fo ...

(1949- ), bass guitarist, former member of

* Josh Kulick, former heavy metal drummer for

Through The Eyes Of The Dead Through the Eyes of the Dead is an American deathcore band from Florence, South Carolina, formed in 2003. They have released four full-length albums, one EP, and one split album with The Knife Trade. History The band was formed by Justin Longsh ...

Katrina Leskanich Katrina Elizabeth Leskanich ( ; born April 10, 1960) is an American musician and the former lead singer of the pop rock band Katrina and the Waves. Their song " Walking on Sunshine" was an international hit in 1985. In 1997, the band won the ...

(1960- ), singer ( Katrina and the Waves) *

Kerry Livgren Kerry Allen Livgren (born September 18, 1949) is an American musician, best known as one of the founding members and primary songwriters for the American rock band Kansas. Biography Livgren was raised in Topeka, Kansas, by his father Allen ...

(1949- ), founding member of the bands

and AD *

Andy McKee Andy McKee (born April 4, 1979, in Topeka, Kansas) is an American fingerstyle guitar player who has released six studio albums, two extended plays, and one live album to date. A number of YouTube videos featuring McKee's highly-technical guitar ...

(1979- ), musician *

Kirke Mechem Kirke Mechem (born August 16, 1925) is an American composer. His first opera, '' Tartuffe'', with over 400 performances in seven countries, has become one of the most popular operas written by an American. He has composed more than 250 works in al ...

(1925- ), composer *

Origin Origin(s) or The Origin may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Comics and manga * ''Origin'' (comics), a Wolverine comic book mini-series published by Marvel Comics in 2002 * ''The Origin'' (Buffy comic), a 1999 ''Buffy the Vampire Sl ...

, metal band * Kliph Scurlock (1973- ), drummer *

Jamshied Sharifi Jamshied Sharifi (born October 17, 1960) is an American composer and musician. He was born in Topeka, Kansas to an Iranian father and an American mother. At an early age, Sharifi was exposed to Jazz and Middle Eastern music by his father and t ...

(1960- ), composer, musician * Kenny Starr (1952- ), country singer *

Rich Williams Richard John Williams (born February 1, 1950) is an American guitarist, primarily known for being one of the only consistent original members of the rock band Kansas alongside drummer Phil Ehart. Both have appeared on every Kansas album to dat ...

(1950- ), guitarist, member of

Other visual arts

* James Pringle Cook (1947- ), Western landscape painter * Aaron Douglas (1899-1979), Harlem Renaissance artist *

Georgia Louise Harris Brown Georgia Louise Harris Brown (June 12, 1918 – September 21, 1999), is considered to be the second African American woman to become a licensed architect in the United States. She was also the first black woman to earn a degree in architecture from ...

(1918-1999), architect * Peter Max Lawrence (1977- ), contemporary media artist

Business

Brad Garlinghouse Bradley Kent Garlinghouse (born February 4, 1971) is the CEO of financial technology company Ripple Labs. He previously was the CEO and chairman of Hightail (formerly YouSendIt). Before Hightail, he worked at AOL and Yahoo! He was born February ...

(1971- ), business executive, investor * Cyrus K. Holliday (1826-1900), first president of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe railroad; founder of Topeka township * John F. Kilmartin (1921-2004), retail executive

Crime

* Alvin "Creepy" Karpis (1907-1979), kidnapper, murderer, robber * Amy Watkins (1973-1999), murder victim

Medicine

* Karl Bowman (1888-1973), psychiatrist *

Harriet Lerner Harriet Lerner (born November 30, 1944), is a clinical psychologist best known for her contributions to psychoanalytic concepts regarding family and feminist theory and therapy, and for her many psychology books written for the general public. From ...

(1944- ), clinical psychologist and author * Karl Menninger (1893-1990), psychiatrist * Roy W. Menninger (1926- ), psychiatrist * William C. Menninger (1899-1966), psychiatrist * W. Walter Menninger (1931- ), psychiatrist * Karl Targownik (1915-1996), psychiatrist and

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; ...

survivor

Military

* Wilder D. Baker (1890-1975),

U.S. Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage o ...

Vice Admiral during World War II * Ronald Evans (1933-1990), astronaut *

Harry D. Felt Admiral Harry Donald Felt (June 21, 1902 – February 25, 1992) was an United States Naval Aviator, aviator in the United States Navy who led U.S. carrier strikes during World War II and later served as commander in chief of United Stat ...

(1902-1992),

Admiral * Donald Hudson (1895-1967),

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

flying ace * Philip Johnston (1892-1978), U.S. Marine Corps code-talker *

Frank E. Petersen Frank Emmanuel Petersen Jr. (March 2, 1932 – August 25, 2015) was a United States Marine Corps lieutenant general. He was the first African-American Marine Corps aviator and the first African-American Marine Corps general. Petersen retired fr ...

(1932-2015), U.S. Marine Corps Lt. General

Politics

National

Linda Carol Brown Linda Carol Brown (February 20, 1943March 25, 2018) was an American campaigner for equality in education. As a school-girl in 1954, Brown became the center of the landmark United States civil rights case ''Brown v. Board of Education''. Brown ...

(1943-2018), plaintiff in ''

Brown v. Board of Education ''Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka'', 347 U.S. 483 (1954), was a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled that U.S. state laws establishing racial segregation in public schools are unconstitutional, even if the segrega ...

'' * Oliver Brown (1918-1961), plaintiff in ''

'' *

Arthur Capper Arthur Capper (July 14, 1865 – December 19, 1951) was an American politician from Kansas. He was the 20th governor of Kansas (the first born in the state) from 1915 to 1919 and a United States senator from 1919 to 1949. He also owned a radio ...

(1865-1951), U.S. Senator from Kansas, 20th Governor of Kansas * Helen Chenoweth-Hage (1938-2006),

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they c ...

from

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. To the north, it shares a small portion of the Canada–United States border with the province of British Columbia. It borders the states of Montana and Wyomi ...

* Albert M. Cole (1901-1994), U.S. Representative from Kansas * Sam A. Crow (1926-2022), U.S. federal judge *

Charles Curtis Charles Curtis (January 25, 1860 – February 8, 1936) was an American attorney and Republican politician from Kansas who served as the 31st vice president of the United States from 1929 to 1933 under Herbert Hoover. He had served as the Sena ...

(1860-1936), 31st

Vice President of the United States The vice president of the United States (VPOTUS) is the second-highest officer in the executive branch of the U.S. federal government, after the president of the United States, and ranks first in the presidential line of succession. The vice ...

* Harry W. Fraser (1884-1950), labor leader *

David Archibald Harvey David Archibald Harvey (March 20, 1845 – May 24, 1916) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma Territory and the first person to represent Oklahoma at the federal level. Early life Harvey was born in Stewiack ...

(1845-1916),

U.S. House The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

Delegate from Oklahoma Territory * Donald R. Heath (1894-1981), U.S. Ambassador to

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...

, Laos,

Lebanon Lebanon ( , ar, لُبْنَان, translit=lubnān, ), officially the Republic of Lebanon () or the Lebanese Republic, is a country in Western Asia. It is located between Syria to Lebanon–Syria border, the north and east and Israel to Blue ...

Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in Western Asia. It covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and has a land area of about , making it the fifth-largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the A ...

, and

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

Zelma Henderson Zelma Henderson (February 29, 1920 – May 20, 2008) was the last surviving plaintiff in the 1954 landmark federal school desegregation case, ''Brown v. Board of Education''. The case outlawed segregation nationwide in all of the United States' ...

(1920-2008), plaintiff in ''

'' *

Nancy Kassebaum Nancy Jo Kassebaum Baker (née Landon; born July 29, 1932) is an American politician who represented the State of Kansas in the United States Senate from 1978 to 1997. She is the daughter of Alf Landon, who was Governor of Kansas from 1933 to 1 ...

(1932- ), U.S. Senator from Kansas *

Alf Landon Alfred Mossman Landon (September 9, 1887October 12, 1987) was an American oilman and politician who served as the 26th governor of Kansas from 1933 to 1937. A member of the Republican Party, he was the party's nominee in the 1936 presidential el ...

(1887-1987), 26th Governor of Kansas, 1936

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

candidate for

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

* John Thomas Marten (1951- ), U.S. federal judge * John Martin (1833-1913), U.S. Senator from Kansas * Isabell Masters (1913-2011), perennial third-party candidate for

U.S. president The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States of America. The president directs the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States ...

* Noah C. McFarland (1822-1897), Commissioner of the

General Land Office The General Land Office (GLO) was an independent agency of the United States government responsible for public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 to take over functions previously conducted by the United States Department o ...

* John G. Otis (1838-1916), U.S. Representative from Kansas * Brad Parscale (1976- ), campaign manager for

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

* Nathan Phelps (1958- ), LGBT rights activist * Shirley Phelps-Roper (1957- ), lawyer,

anti-LGBT Anti-LGBT rhetoric comprises themes, catchphrases, and slogans that have been used against homosexuality or other non-heterosexual sexual orientations in order to demean lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. They range from t ...

political activist * John Ritchie (1817-1887), abolitionist *

Pat Roberts Charles Patrick Roberts (born April 20, 1936) is a retired American politician and journalist who served as a United States senator from Kansas from 1997 to 2021. A member of the Republican Party, Roberts served 8 terms in the U.S. House of Rep ...

(1936- ), U.S. Senator from

* William R. Roy (1926-2014), U.S. Representative from Kansas * Thomas Ryan (1837-1914), U.S. Representative from Kansas and Ambassador to Mexico *

John States Seybold John States Seybold (July 2, 1897 – April 19, 1982) was Governor of the Panama Canal Zone from 1952 to 1956. Biography Seybold was born on July 2, 1897 in Topeka, Kansas. He attended Polk Grade School and graduated from Topeka High School. S ...

(1897-1982), Governor of Panama Canal Zone *

Jim Slattery James Charles Slattery (born August 4, 1948) is an American politician. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995 representing Kansas's 2nd congressional district as a Democrat, was the Democratic nominee for governor in ...

(1948- ), U.S. Representative from Kansas * John L. Waller (1850-1907), U.S. Consul to

Madagascar Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Africa ...

State

* John Alcala (1959- ), Kansas state legislator * Carol A. Beier (1958- ), Kansas Supreme Court Justice * Robert Coldsnow (1924-2014), Kansas state legislator * Robert E. Davis (1939-2010),

Kansas Supreme Court The Kansas Supreme Court is the highest judicial authority in the state of Kansas. Composed of seven justices, led by Chief Justice Marla Luckert, the court supervises the legal profession, administers the judicial branch, and serves as the st ...

Chief Justice * Ron Estes (1956- ), 39th Treasurer of Kansas and 4th Congressional District Representative, elected 2017. * Joan Finney (1925-2001), 42nd Governor of Kansas *

Shanti Gandhi Shanti Gandhi (born 10 February 1940) is an India-born American cardiovascular and thoracic surgeon and was a Republican member of the Kansas House of Representatives, representing the 52nd District from 2013 to 2015. He won a contested party ...

(1940- ), physician and legislator * A. C. Hamlin (1881-1912), Oklahoma state legislator *

Alexander Miller Harvey Alexander Miller Harvey (November 24, 1867 in Richmond, Kentucky – March 9, 1928 in Topeka, Kansas) was an American lawyer, politician, and author. Political career A lawyer from Topeka admitted to the bar in 1893, Harvey was elected Lieutena ...

(1867-1928), 15th

Lieutenant Governor of Kansas The lieutenant governor of Kansas is the second-ranking member of the executive branch of Kansas state government. The lieutenant governor is elected on a ticket with the governor for a four-year term. The lieutenant governor succeeds to the off ...

* Anthony Hensley (1953- ), Kansas state legislator * Marla Luckert (1955- ),

justice *

Lutie Lytle Lutie A. Lytle (November 19, 1875 - November 12, 1955 ) was an American lawyer who was one of the first African-American women in the legal profession. Having been admitted to the state bar of Tennessee in 1897, she also practiced law in Topeka ...

(1875-1950), lawyer, 1st African-American woman admitted to Kansas bar * Kay McFarland (1935-2015),

Chief Justice * Eric Rosen (1953- ),

Justice *

Caleb Stegall Caleb Stegall (born September 20, 1971) is an American attorney and writer who resides in Perry, Kansas. He has served as the district attorney for Jefferson County, Kansas, and Chief Counsel to Kansas Governor Sam Brownback before he was appoi ...

(1971- ),

Justice * Jeff Stone (1961- ),

Wisconsin Wisconsin () is a state in the upper Midwestern United States. Wisconsin is the 25th-largest state by total area and the 20th-most populous. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake M ...

state legislator * Clifford W. Trow (1929- ),

Oregon Oregon () is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of its eastern boundary with Idaho. T ...

state legislator * William C. Webb (1824-1898), Wisconsin and Kansas legislator *

Jackie Winters Jackie Winters (April 15, 1937 – May 29, 2019) was an American Republican politician in the U.S. state of Oregon. She served as a state senator, representing the 10th district in Salem. She was Senate Minority Leader. She died of lung cancer o ...

(1937-2019), Oregon state legislator

Local

* Jacob Alan Dickinson (1911-1971), Topeka Board of Education president, desegregation supporter

Religion

Fred Phelps Fred Waldron Phelps Sr. (November 13, 1929 – March 19, 2014) was an American minister who served as the pastor of the Westboro Baptist Church, worked as a civil rights attorney, and ran for statewide election in Kansas. He gained nation ...

(1929-2014), leader of the

Westboro Baptist Church The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) is a small American, unaffiliated Primitive Baptist church in Topeka, Kansas, founded in 1955 by pastor Fred Phelps. Labeled a hate group, WBC is known for engaging in homophobic and anti-American pickets, ...

* Charles Sheldon (1857-1946), minister, author

Sports

American football

Chris Beatty Christopher Beatty (born June 19, 1973) is an American football assistant coach. Beatty is currently the wide receivers coach for the Los Angeles Chargers football team. Beatty was formerly a professional football player in the Canadian Foot ...

(1973- ), coach * Tom Dinkel (1956- ), linebacker * Forrestal Hickman (1993- ), offensive tackle *

Teven Jenkins Teven Bradlee Jenkins (born March 3, 1998) is an American football guard for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Oklahoma State and was drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2021 NFL ...

(1998- ), offensive tackle *

Mike Lemon Michael Donald Lemon (born February 26, 1951) is a former American football linebacker who played from 1975 to 1977 for the New Orleans Saints, Denver Broncos and Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He attended Bishop Hee ...

(1951- ), linebacker * Trey Lewis (1985- ), defensive tackle * Lamar Mady (1990- ), center * Larry McGinnis (1899-1948), guard * Jack Nason (1899-1977), tackle, wingback *

John H. Outland John Henry Outland (March 17, 1871 – March 24, 1947) was an American football player and coach. He played football at Penn College in Oskaloosa, Iowa, the University of Kansas, and the University of Pennsylvania. He was twice named an All-Ame ...

(1871-1947), college football coach and namesake of

Outland Trophy The Outland Trophy is awarded to the best college football interior lineman in the United States as adjudged by the Football Writers Association of America. It is named after John H. Outland. One of only a few players ever to be named an All-Am ...

* John Parrella (1969- ), defensive tackle * Ryan Torain (1986- ), running back * Chuck Washington (1964- ), defensive back * Troy Wilson (1970- ), defensive end

Baseball

Aaron Crow Aaron James Crow (born November 10, 1986) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He pitched in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Kansas City Royals. Early life Crow was born on November 10, 1986, in Topeka, Kansas to parents Kev ...

(1986- ), pitcher * Rick DeHart (1970- ), pitcher * Bingo DeMoss (1889-1965), 2nd baseman, manager * Art Griggs (1884-1938), 1st baseman *

Ross Grimsley Ross Albert Grimsley Jr.
Retrieved August 26, 2018 (born J ...

(1950- ), pitcher * Clarence Heise (1907-1999), pitcher * Bernadine Maxwell (d. 1988), utility player * Larry Miller (1937-2018), pitcher * Dink Mothell (1897-1980), pitcher, utility player * Don O'Riley (1945-1997), pitcher * Scott Taylor (1966- ), pitcher *

Mike Torrez Michael Augustine Torrez (born August 28, 1946) is an American former Major League Baseball (MLB) starting pitcher. In an 18-season career, he pitched for the St. Louis Cardinals (1967–1971), Montreal Expos (1971–1974), Baltimore Orioles (1 ...

(1946- ), pitcher

Basketball

Chris Babb Chris Babb (born February 14, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for Bnei Herzliya of the Israeli Basketball Premier League. He played college basketball for Pennsylvania State University and Iowa State University. Early life ...

(1990- ), shooting guard in the Israeli Basketball Premier League *

Leo Lyons Leo David William Lyons (born 30 November 1943) is an English musician, who was most notably the bassist of the blues rock band Ten Years After. Biography Leo Lyons was born in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in November 1943 and became a profess ...

(1987- ), power forward * Fred Slaughter (1941-2016), center, sports agent *

Dean Smith Dean Edwards Smith (February 28, 1931 – February 7, 2015) was an American men's college basketball head coach. Called a "coaching legend" by the Basketball Hall of Fame, he coached for 36 years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel H ...

(1931-2015), University of North Carolina and Basketball Hall of Fame coach *

Mark Turgeon Mark Leo Turgeon (born February 5, 1965) is an American college basketball coach. Turgeon served as the head men's basketball coach at Jacksonville State University from 1998 to 2000, Wichita State University from 2000 to 2007, Texas A&M Univ ...

(1965- ), head basketball coach at

University of Maryland The University of Maryland, College Park (University of Maryland, UMD, or simply Maryland) is a public land-grant research university in College Park, Maryland. Founded in 1856, UMD is the flagship institution of the University System of M ...

; formerly coach at

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

* Kyle Weems (1989- ), small forward

Golf

Marilynn Smith Marilynn Louise Smith (April 13, 1929 – April 9, 2019) was an American professional golfer. She was one of the thirteen founders of the LPGA in 1950. She won two major championships and 21 LPGA Tour events in all. She is a member of the Wor ...

(1929-2019), pro golfer and LPGA co-founder, member of

World Golf Hall of Fame The World Golf Hall of Fame is located at World Golf Village near St. Augustine, Florida, in the United States, and it is unusual among sports halls of fame in that a single site honors both men and women. It is supported by a consortium of 26 go ...

Gary Woodland Gary Woodland (born May 21, 1984) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. Woodland won the U.S. Open in 2019, his first major championship and sixth professional victory. Following a successful college career, he turned ...

(1984- ), golfer

Racing

Fred Comer Fred Griffitt Comer (February 19, 1893 in Topeka, Kansas – October 12, 1928 in Lawrence, Massachusetts) was an American racecar driver. Like many drivers of his era, he was a board track racing specialist and made 43 AAA Championship Car s ...

(1893-1928), race car driver * Louis Durant (1910-1972), race car driver * Bruce Hill (1949- ), race car driver

Other

* Bob Benoit (1954- ), pro bowler * Casey Converse (1957- ), U.S. Olympic swimmer, coach *

Art Crews Art Crews (born January 3, 1959) is an American retired professional wrestler who competed in North American regional promotions including the National Wrestling Alliance, particularly the Central States, Mid-South and Pacific Northwest territor ...

(1959- ), pro wrestler * Bob Davis (1945- ), sportscaster * Bill Disney (1932-2009), U.S. Olympic speed skater * Jack Disney (1930- ), U.S. Olympic cyclist * Melvin Douglas, Olympic wrestler, 1996 and 2000 and World Championship gold medalist *

Max Falkenstien Max Falkenstien (April 9, 1924 – July 29, 2019) was an American radio sports announcer. In his 60-year career at the University of Kansas (1946-2006), Falkenstien covered more than 1,750 men's basketball games and 650 football games, a span that ...

(1924-2019), radio broadcaster * Margaret Thompson Murdock (1942- ), member of the

Kansas Sports Hall of Fame The Kansas Sports Hall of Fame is a museum located in Wichita, dedicated to preserving the history of sports in the state of Kansas. The museum provides exhibits, archives, facilities, services, and activities to honor those individuals and te ...

, and first woman to win a medal in

shooting at the Summer Olympics Shooting sports have been included at every Summer Olympic Games since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics except at the 1904 and 1928 games. Summary Events Shooting was one of the nine events at the first mode ...

* Charles Nelson (1933- ), U.S. Olympic volleyball player * Anna Seaton (1964- ), U.S. Olympic rower

References

{{reflist, 30em

Topeka Topeka ( ; Kansa: ; iow, Dópikˀe, script=Latn or ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Kansas and the seat of Shawnee County. It is along the Kansas River in the central part of Shawnee County, in northeast Kansas, in the Central Uni ...