John Miles Venard
John Miles Venard (1886–1969) was a fixture in the village in the early 1900s. Beginning his postal career at age 19 in 1906, he delivered mail for 51 years, retiring […]
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Biography
These pages show biographical information about notable people from Downers Grove’s past.
Michael Walter (Mike) Venard
Michael “Mike” Venard (1880 – 1942) was born in 1880 to James and Katherine Redmond Venard in Downers Grove, Illinois. Mike became one of Downers Grove’s most recognized law enforcement
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Fred Faulkner Lester
Frederick “Fred” Faulkner Lester served as a United States Navy hospital corpsman in World War II. He was killed in action on June 8, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa.
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Lisa Rasin
Awarded the 2025 Montrew Dunham Award, Lisa has shared her many talents and leadership skills to support those less fortunate. Her story is one of ‘Stepping Up and Giving Back.’
Mary Ellen Young
In 2024, Mary Ellen received the Montrew Dunham award from the Downers Grove Historical Society, an award which honors those whose significant service and contributions to the Village of Downers
Donald J. Drew
Donald J. Drew was a lifelong resident of Downers Grove whose life was defined by music, community, and family. Born in 1904, he was the beloved son of Thomas W.
Mildred L. Drew
Mildred L. Drew was born in Downers Grove in 1914 and raised by her father and grandparents, Matthew A. Lamb and Luella Lyon Roe Lamb, after her mother, Olive Lamb
Helen Kenyon
Affectionately known as “Aunt Helen,” Helen Kenyon spent 66 years in the same home at 5427 Main Street in Downers Grove. She passed away at the age of 90, remembered
Dr. Dieter M. Gruen
Dr. Dieter M. Gruen is a renowned scientist who fled Nazi Germany, worked on the atomic bomb and continues to push the bounds of alternative energy technology. Throughout his exceptionally
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Theodore S Rogers
Theodore Smith Rogers, who often went by T. S. Rogers, came to Downers Grove with his father and two brothers in 1844. He lived the rest of his life in