List of people from Monroe, Louisiana

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

For a list of people who have studied at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, see List of University of Louisiana at Monroe alumni.

Activists

• Huey P. Newton, Black Panthers founder

Actors and entertainers

• Clay Jordan, contestant on Survivor Thailand
• Valerie Mason, September 2008 Playboy Playmate
• Mantan Moreland, actor and comic of the 1930s and 1940s
• Jesse Pearson, actor and screenwriter; died in Monroe in 1979
• Parker Posey, film actress
• Monti Sharp, film and soap opera actor
• Susan Ward, film and soap opera actress

Business

• Edmund Graves Brown (1921–2008), executive of the Monroe News Star, 1952–1977; member of the Ewing newspaper family
• Kitty DeGree (1922–2012), real estate developer and philanthropist
• Grady A. Dugas (1923–2007), inventor of Safer Automatic Wheelchair Wheel Locks
• Robert Ewing III (1935–2007), Monroe newspaper executive and photographer
• Howard D. Griffin (1911–1986),^[1] outboard motor and motorcycle dealer; owner of the former Howard Griffin "Land O' Toys store (1965–1985) in Monroe^[2]
• Lloyd E. Lenard (1922–2008), author; advertising manager of KNOE Radio;later in the insurance business in Shreveport; former Caddo Parish commissioner
• Sol Rosenberg (1926–2009), steel industrialist; philanthropist; Holocaust survivor
• Collett E. Woolman (1889–1966), an original director and founder of Delta Air Service

Journalists

• Keith Babb, KNOE-TV personality prior to 1971; chief national auctioneer of American Quarter Horses
• Moon Griffon, statewide radio talk show host, formerly based in Monroe, now Lafayette
• Frank McGee, television journalist
• John Travis Nixon, journalist and publisher of Monroe News-Star in early 1890s; later published what became the Crowley Post Signal in Crowley, Louisiana^[3]
• Dale Thorn, journalist, Louisiana State University professor, and press secretary to Governor Edwin Edwards, graduated in 1960 from Ouachita Parish High School^[4]

Musicians

• Fred Anderson, jazz saxophonist and club owner
• Hamid Drake, jazz drummer and percussionist
• Doug Duffey, singer, songwriter, pianist, bandleader, music arranger, record producer, music publisher, poet, diarist, photographer and visual artist
• Carl Fontana, jazz trombonist
• Kevin Griffin, lead singer of Better Than Ezra
• Andy Griggs, country music singer
• Ivory Joe Hunter, rhythm and blues musician^[5]:293
• Rickey Minor, music director, composer, music producer, and music director and bandleader for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
• Webb Pierce, country musician^[5]:274
• Frank Ticheli, composer, conductor, Professor of Music at University of Southern California
• Leon "Pee Wee" Whittaker, trombonist who played with the Rabbit's Foot Minstrels from Monroe, 1935–1950

Politicians

• Edwards Barham, former member of the Louisiana State Senate from Morehouse Parish
• Robert J. Barham, director of the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission; former state senator from Morehouse Parish
• William R. Boles, Sr. (1927–2008), attorney and former Democratic member of the Louisiana State Senate
• William Denis Brown, III (1931–2012), attorney, businessman, and state senator, floor leader in first term of Governor Edwin Washington Edwards^[6]
• William Derwood Cann, Jr. (1919–2010), World War II lieutenant colonel; interim mayor of Monroe from 1978 to 1979^[7]
• Marcus R. Clark (born 1956), associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court; former district court judge
• Donnie Copeland (born 1961), Pentecostal pastor in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives, 2015 to 2017, born in Monroe^[8]
• James L. Dennis (born 1936), Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• Jimmy Dimos, former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives and retired judge
• Ken Duncan, Louisiana state treasurer from 1996 to 2000; reared in Monroe in the early 1960s^[9]
• John C. Ensminger (born 1934), Monroe businessman, state representative (1972–1991) and state senator (1991–1992) from Ouachita Parish
• Chris Faser, Jr. (1917–2004), member of both the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Louisiana House of Representatives from East Baton Rouge Parish; confidant to Governor Jimmie Davis; born and reared in Monroe^[10]
• William C. Feazel (1895–1965), interim U.S. Senator in 1948; member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1932–1936; father-in-law of Shady R. Wall
• Lee Fletcher (1966–2009), Republican political consultant
• H. Lawrence Gibbs (1919–1993), member of both houses of the Louisiana Legislature
• Bert Hatten (born 1927), mayor of West Monroe from 1966 to 1978; newspaper managing editor and publisher; graduated from Ouachita Parish High School in 1945
• Malcolm P. Hebert, Alexandria politician; born in Monroe in 1926^[11]
• Jennifer Sneed Heebe (born 1966), former state representative for Jefferson Parish; former member of the Jefferson Parish Council; former television reporter in Monroe^[12]
• W. L. "Jack" Howard (1911–1994), former mayor of Monroe and owner with his brother, Alton Hardy Howard of the former Howard Brothers Discount Stores
• John S. Hunt, III (1928–2001), Monroe attorney and former member of the Louisiana Public Service Commission
• Marcus Hunter (born 1979), member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 17 in Ouachita Parish
• Neal Lane "Lanny" Johnson (born 1940), former Ouachita Parish school superintendent; member of the Louisiana House, 1976–1980 from Franklin and Tensas parishes; first All-American in basketball at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, then NLSC
• Gary Lee Jones (born 1946), member of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, effective January 2016; educator in Monroe from 1971 to 1999
• Kay Katz, former member of the Louisiana House of Representatives; former Republican National Committeewoman from Louisiana
• Robert Kostelka, Republican state senator and former judge
• W. Burch Lee (1883–1938), state representative for Webster Parish, 1914–1916; clerk of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana in Shreveport, 1918–1933; born in Farmerville, reared in Monroe^[13]
• Scott Leehy, Republican judge of the Fourth Judicial District
• Sam Little, Republican former state representative from Morehouse Parish and portions of Ouachita, West Carroll, and East Carroll parishes
• Jamie Mayo, Democratic mayor of Monroe since 2001
• Vance McAllister, businessman and U.S. representative elected in Louisiana's 5th congressional district special election, 2013
• Newt V. Mills, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district from 1937 to 1943; resided in Monroe
• Jay Morris, state representative since 2012 from Ouachita and Morehouse parishes
• J. Kelly Nix, Louisiana superintendent of education, 1976–1984; attended the University of Louisiana at Monroe and then resided in Monroe from c. 1965 to 1972
• James A. Noe, short-term governor of Louisiana in 1936; founder of WNOE & KNOE radio & TV stations
• Abe E. Pierce, III (born 1934), mayor of Monroe from 1996 to 2000, first African American in the position; Ouachita Parish educator
• Robert E. Powell (1923-1997), mayor of Monroe from 1979 to 1996
• Melvin Rambin (1941–2001), mayor of Monroe from 2000 to 2001, only Republican in the position since Reconstruction; banker in Baton Rouge and Monroe; interred in Baton Rouge
• James St. Raymond - businessman and former state representative in Orleans Parish; former resident of Monroe^[14]
• Johnny Riley Jr, State of Louisiana Assistant Secretary for Department of Labor - Workforce Commission 2008 - 2011
• Frank Spooner, oil and natural gas producer and Republican politician, moved to Monroe in 1967^[15]
• Lawson Swearingen, former Louisiana state senator and president of ULM
• Jeff R. Thompson, former insurance agent in Monroe; state representative from Bossier Parish; incoming 26th Judicial District Court judge
• Chet D. Traylor, Associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, 1997–2009; Republican primary candidate for U.S. Senate, 2010
• Ralph T. Troy (1935–2014), mayor of Monroe from 1972 to 1976
• Shady R. Wall (1922–1985), state representative from 1948–1956 and 1968–1984
• Mike Walsworth, Louisiana state senator from Ouachita and Morehouse parishes
• W. E. Whetstone (1908–1987), former member of the Louisiana State Board of Education
• Mary Lou Trawick Winters (1935–2014), member of the Democratic National Committee for thirty-two years, elector for U.S. President Bill Clinton in 1996, and the chief lobbyist for the Louisiana State Medical Society
• J. Robert Wooley (born 1953), Louisiana Commissioner of Insurance, 2000–2006; spent his high school and college years in Monroe^[16]
• Aubrey W. Young (1922–2010), drug and alcohol abuse coordinator within the Department of Health and Hospitals, 1965–1999; aide-de-camp to Governor John McKeithen

Sports

• Brian Bateman, PGA golfer, 2007 Buick Open winner^[17]
• Benoit Benjamin, NBA center for the Cleveland Cavaliers^[18]
• Bubby Brister, Denver Broncos quarterback^[19]
• Jimmy Childress, Neville High School and Ruston High School state championship football coach^[20]
• John David Crow, late coach of the ULM Warhawks; professional football player
• LaceDarius Dunn, basketball guard with Bnei HaSharon in Israel^[21]
• Billy Joe Dupree, tight end for the Dallas Cowboys^[22]
• Lenny Fant, Northeast Louisiana, basketball coach, 1957–1979, first NLU coach to win 300 games^[23]
• Chuck Finley, MLB All-Star pitcher, California Angels, Cleveland Indians and St. Louis Cardinals; ex-spouse of Tawny Kitaen^[24]
• Ralph Garr, All-Star MLB outfielder^[25]
• Larry Gordon, football player
• Gerrod Henderson, basketball player for the Anwil Włocławek 2007–09
• Tyree Hollins, football player
• Cardia Jackson, Louisiana–Monroe Warhawk and Green Bay Packers linebacker
• Bradie James, LSU and Dallas Cowboys linebacker^[26]
• Arnold R. Kilpatrick, ULM basketball coach, 1950s; president of Northwestern State University in Natchitoches from 1966 to 1978
• Shawn King, ULM/LSU and Carolina Panthers defensive end^[27]
• Lynn McGlothen, MLB pitcher
• Paul Millsap, power forward for Louisiana Tech University and the Atlanta Hawks^[28]
• Rudy Niswanger, LSU and Kansas City Chiefs center^[29]
• Joe Profit, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints running back^[30]
• Cassidy Riley, professional wrestler, WWE TNA
• Phil Robertson, quarterback for Louisiana Tech Bulldogs
• Johnny Robinson, LSU and Kansas City Chiefs safety
• Bill Russell, NBA center for the Boston Celtics), Basketball Hall of Famer
• Ben Sheets, MLB All-Star Milwaukee Brewers, Oakland Athletics and Atlanta Braves pitcher; played at NLU, now ULM^[31]
• Don Shows, football coach ULM, NSU, Ouachita Parish High School, West Monroe High School
• Sammy White, football player, GSU and Offensive Rookie of Year receiver for Minnesota Vikings
• Andrew Whitworth, LSU and Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle
• Jonathan Wilhite, Auburn and New England Patriots cornerback
• Aeneas Williams, St. Louis Rams free safety
• Pat Williams, NFL defensive tackle for the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings
• Ralph Williams, gridiron football player
• Larry Wright, GSU and NBA guard for the Washington Bullets

Writers

• Harry W. Addison, writer and humorist
• Henry E. Chambers, Louisiana historian; resided in Monroe, 1894–1896^[32]
• Dixon Hearne, writer and poet
• Speed Lamkin, novelist and playwright
• William Y. Thompson, retired historian from Louisiana Tech University

Others

• Guy Banister, career employee of the FBI and private investigator; alleged co-conspirator in assassination of John F. Kennedy
• C. E. Byrd, educator who resided in Monroe from 1889 to 1892; founded C.E. Byrd High School in Shreveport
• W. C. Friley, Baptist clergyman; second president of Louisiana College; pastor in Monroe in the early 1880s
• William Gabriel Fuller, IV (St. Frederick High School-Class of 1976) (Distinguished Military Graduate (DMG) 1985) (Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) US Army) Finalist - National Security and International Affairs, 2010 Service to America Medal
• Rowena Spencer, MD; first female pediatric surgeon
• Richard Stalder, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Public Safety & Corrections from 1992 to 2008; former superintendent at Louisiana Training Institute in Monroe^[33]
• Marc Swayze, comic book writer and illustrator
• George T. Walker, president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe from 1958 to 1976

See also

References

1. "Howard D. Griffin". findagrave.com. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
2. "Howard Griffin Land O' Toys lives on in memory". The Monroe News-Star. December 17, 2015. Retrieved December 23, 2015.
3. "Nixon, John Travis". Louisiana Historical Association. Retrieved April 21, 2015.
4. "Obituary – Dr. Jesse Dale Thorn, May 14, 2014". Ouachita Citizen. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
5. Tom Aswell (22 April 2013). Louisiana Rocks!: The True Genesis of Rock and Roll. Pelican Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4556-0783-9.
6. "William Denis Brown, III". Monroe News-Star, March 9, 2012. Retrieved July 13, 2013.
7. "William Derwood Cann, Jr.". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate, July 14, 2010. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
8. "Donnie Copeland's Biography". Project Vote Smart. Retrieved April 18, 2016.
9. "Ken Duncan". classmates.com. Retrieved July 5, 2015.
10. "Christian Faser, Jr. (1917–2004)". Baton Rouge Morning Advocate. January 18, 2004. Retrieved December 31, 2014.
11. "Malcolm Paul Hebert, September 24, 2006". The Alexandria Daily Town Talk. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
12. Richard Rainey (August 19, 2008). "Jennifer Sneed resigns Jefferson Parish Council". The New Orleans Times-Picayune. Retrieved May 21, 2015.
13. "W. Burch Lee Funeral Here in Afternoon: Former Clerk of Federal Court Expires After Week of Illness". The Shreveport Times through findagrave.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
14. "James St. Raymond". intelius.com. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
15. "Otto Passman, Jerry Huckaby, and Frank Spooner: The Louisiana Fifth Congressional District Election of 1976", Louisiana History: The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association, LIV No. 3 (Summer 2013), p. 346
16. "Mike Hasten, "Louisiana insurance commissioner's race Wooley turns temporary job into a mission", November 7, 2003". capitolwatch.reallouisiana.com. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
17. PGA TOUR, Inc. (2010). "PGATOUR.com – Brian Bateman's Official Profile". Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
18. Sports Reference LLC (2010). "Benoit Benjamin NBA & ABA Statistics". Retrieved July 12, 2010.
19. NFL Enterprises LLC (2010). "Bubby Brister". Retrieved July 12, 2010.
20. Adam Hunsucker, "Childress was about more than defense and shutouts", The Monroe News-Star, July 14, 2015
21.  LaceDarius Dunn (November 16, 2009). "LaceDarius Dunn Profile – Baylor Bears Official Athletic Site". BaylorBears.com. Retrieved November 7, 2012.
22. "Billy Joe DuPree". NFL. 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
23. "Lenny Fant Coaching Record". Sports Reference. 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
24. "Chuck Finley Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
25. "Ralph Garr Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". MLB. 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
26. Dallas Cowboys (2010). "DallasCowboys.com – Official Site of the Dallas Cowboys". Retrieved July 12, 2010.
27. NFL Enterprises LLC (2010). "Shawn King". Retrieved July 12, 2010.
28. NBA Media Ventures, LLC (2010). "NBA.com : Paul Millsap Bio Page". Turner Sports and Entertainment Digital Network. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
29. "Kansas City Chiefs: Rudy Niswanger". 2010. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
30. NFL Enterprises, LLC (2010). "Joe Profit". Retrieved July 12, 2010.
31. Oakland Athletics (2010). "Ben Sheets Stats, Bio, Photos, Highlights". MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved July 12, 2010.
32. "Biography of Henry Edward Chambers". usgwarchives.org. Retrieved March 15, 2011.
33. "Richard Stalder". lapoliticalmuseum.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013.