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List of people from Fargo, North Dakota

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Fargo, North Dakota.

Astronauts

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Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
James Buchli Jun 20, 1945 United States Marine aviator; NASA astronaut; flew on four Space Shuttle missions Graduated from Fargo Central High School

Media

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Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Richard Edlund Dec 6, 1940 Multiple Academy Award-winning visual effects artist for Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Return of the Jedi, and Ghostbusters Born in Fargo
CariDee English Sep 23, 1984 Winner of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 7 Born in Fargo
William H. Gass Jul 30, 1924 Dec 6, 2017 Writer Born in Fargo
Chuck Klosterman Jun 5, 1972 Author and journalist (Spin, Esquire, ESPN) Lived in Fargo
James Lileks Aug 9, 1958 Writer, journalist, and blogger Born in Fargo
Audra Mari Jan 8, 1994 Model, television host, and beauty pageant titleholder Attended Davies High School in Fargo [1]
Carey McWilliams Jul 5, 1973 Blind marksman and author Born in Fargo
Amber Preston Stand-up comedian Born in Fargo; 1996 graduate of West Fargo High School[2]
Adam Quesnell Stand-up comedian Lived in Fargo
Kristin Rudrüd May 23, 1955 Actress, known for starring in the films Fargo and Pleasantville Born in Fargo
Roxana Saberi Apr 26, 1977 Journalist, 1997 Miss North Dakota Worked at KVLY-TV
Ed Schultz Jan 27, 1954 Jul 5, 2018 Host of The Ed Show, a weekday news talk program, and The Ed Schultz Show, a talk radio show Worked at KTHI-TV, WDAY-TV, and KFGO in Fargo [3]
Ari Shapiro Sep 30, 1978 Reporter (NPR) Born in Fargo
Jon L. Wanzek May 10, 1964 Film producer Lives in Fargo

Musicians and singers

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Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
The Blenders Vocal quartet
Virginia Bruce Sep 29, 1910 Feb 24, 1982 Singer and actress, starred in such films as Born to Dance and The Great Ziegfeld Grew up in Fargo
Shannon Curfman Jul 31, 1985 Blues guitarist and singer Born in Fargo
Dakota Dave Hull Apr 19, 1950 Acoustic fingerstyle guitarist and music historian Born in Fargo [4]
Jonny Lang Jan 29, 1981 Blues guitarist and singer Born in Fargo
Peter Schickele Jul 17, 1935 Jan 16, 2024 Musical composer (alter ego of PDQ Bach)
Frank Scott Jul 21, 1921 Oct 5, 1995 Musician and arranger with the Lawrence Welk orchestra Born in Fargo
Bobby Vee Apr 30, 1943 Oct 24, 2016 1960s era pop music singer Born in Fargo

Sports

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Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Dan Arnold Mar 15, 1996 Tight end for the New Orleans Saints 2017–2019, Arizona Cardinals 2019–2020, Carolina Panthers 2021–2021, Jacksonville Jaguars 2021-2022, Philadelphia Eagles 2023-2023; free agent 2023-present Played football at Shanley High School in Fargo
Henry Luke Bolley Feb 1, 1865 Nov 9, 1956 First North Dakota State University football coach; plant pathologist Lived and died in Fargo
Jim Brandt May 19, 1929 NFL and CFL player Born in Fargo
Joe Burrow Dec 10, 1996 Quarterback for the LSU, 2019 Heisman Trophy winner, 2019–2020 College Football National Champion, NFL Pick No.1, quarterback for the Cincinnati Bengals Attended Centennial Elementary School while his father was on the coaching staff for the NDSU Bison [5]
Joe Cichy May 12, 1948 Safety for the North Dakota State Bison football team and inductee to the College Football Hall of Fame Born in Fargo and played football at Shanley High School in Fargo [6]
Chris Coste Feb 4, 1973 Major League Baseball catcher Born in Fargo
Kyle Emanuel Aug 16, 1991 NFL linebacker for the Los Angeles Chargers 2015–2019 Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo, host of NDSU Bison Football Pregame Show on KVLY-TV
Paul Gaustad Feb 3, 1982 Center for the Nashville Predators Born in Fargo
Andy Heck Jan 1, 1967 Offensive line coach and player for the Kansas City Chiefs Born in Fargo
Gary Larsen Mar 13, 1942 Defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings' Purple People Eaters Born in Fargo
Roger Maris Sep 10, 1934 Dec 14, 1985 Outfielder for the Cleveland Indians, Kansas City Athletics, New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals; American League Most Valuable Player in 1960 and 1961 Raised in Fargo and graduate of Shanley High School
Connor McGovern Apr 27, 1993 Center for the Denver Broncos 2016–2019, center for the New York Jets 2020–present Played football at Shanley High School in Fargo
John Noah Nov 21, 1927 Sep 3, 2015 Silver medalist at the 1952 Winter Olympics Lived and died in Fargo
Donny Schatz Aug 10, 1977 Driver for the World of Outlaws
Easton Stick Sep 15, 1995 Quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers, No.166 overall NFL draft pick Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo
Erik Swanson Sep 4, 1993 Relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays, formerly played for the Seattle Mariners
William Turner Oct 17, 1991 NFL guard who is a free agent Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo
Carson Wentz Dec 30, 1992 Quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, No.2 overall NFL draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles, Super Bowl Champion (LII) Played football at North Dakota State University in Fargo

Statesmen (religious and political)

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Name Image Birth Death Known for Association Reference
Doug Burgum

Aug 1, 1956 33rd governor of North Dakota (2016–present); candidate for president in 2024 Graduate of North Dakota State University, lived in Fargo
Ronald N. Davies Dec 11, 1904 Apr 18, 1996 Federal judge for the district of North Dakota (1955–1985) Lived and died in Fargo
Leo Ferdinand Dworschak Apr 6, 1900 Nov 5, 1976 Roman Catholic bishop of Fargo
Aloisius Joseph Muench Feb 18, 1889 Feb 15, 1962 Roman Catholic bishop of Fargo
Ilhan Omar

Oct 4, 1982 US congresswoman from Minnesota Graduated North Dakota State University
Collin Peterson Jun 29, 1944 US congressman from Minnesota Born in Fargo
Ed Schafer Aug 8, 1946 30th governor of North Dakota (1992–2000), 29th United States Secretary of Agriculture under George W. Bush Lives in Fargo
George A. Sinner May 29, 1928 Mar 9, 2018 29th governor of North Dakota (1985–1992) Born in Fargo
Burleigh F. Spalding Dec 3, 1853 Mar 17, 1934 US congressman Lived and died in Fargo
Evan S. Tyler Mar 22, 1843 Aug 24, 1923 North Dakota state congressman Lived and died in Fargo

References

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  1. ^ "Changes ahead for Fargo's own Miss World America".
  2. ^ Lamb, John (February 12, 2014). "Look who's laughing now: West Fargo graduate returns to headline comedy club opening". Forum. Fargo, North Dakota. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  3. ^ Donovan, Lauren (February 17, 2002). "Ed Schultz: He's live and he takes 'em cold on his weekday radio program". Bismarck Tribune. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  4. ^ Clark, Jerome (Winter 2006). "Dakota Dave Hull: Voodoo King of the Acoustic Guitar" (PDF). Sing Out!. Vol. 49, no. 4. pp. 65–70. Retrieved July 31, 2020.
  5. ^ "UPDATE: It was tough on two Fargo second graders the day Joe Burrow moved to Ohio".
  6. ^ "Joe Cichy". footballfoundation.org. College Football Hall of Fame. Retrieved April 29, 2024.