John A. Harkness
John A Harkness 1922- 1942 John Harkness was a graduate of Downers Grove High School and was in his 3rd year at Coe College, Cedar Rapids, Ia in pre-med studies. […]
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Biography
These pages show biographical information about notable people from Downers Grove’s past.
Private Richard P. Grotefeld
Private Richard P. Grotefeld grew up at 1210 Curtiss in Downers Grove and graduated in 1944 from Downers Grove High School. He had flown overseas in the Airforce for one
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Master Sergeant Allen Arthur Gregory
Master Sgt. Allen Arthur Gregory was killed in an airplane crash in England on May 20th, 1944, at the age of 23. At the time of his death, his parents
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Capt. Raymond H. Gansberg
Captain Raymond H. Gansberg was a courageous World War II fighter pilot whose service and sacrifice reflected the bravery of the young men of the Greatest Generation. Born to John and
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Private Arthur Leroy Haase
Pvt Arthur Haase, a prestigious member of the Iwo Jima marine corps, was killed on February 25th, 1945. He was the husband of Katherine Haase as well as a father
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Helen S. Myers
Helen Myers was born and raised in Downers Grove. Never one to sit still, she started working part-time at Lucille’s Cleaners while still in high school. She later left to
Gordon Goodman
Dr. Gordon Goodman has lived in Downers Grove since 1965. He is a retired chemical physicist who worked at Argonne National Laboratory. He has an amazing passion for historic preservation
Capt. Raymond H. Gansberg
Captain Raymond H. Gansberg was a courageous World War II fighter pilot whose service and sacrifice reflected the bravery of the young men of the Greatest Generation. Born to John and
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Harold Walker Frazer (Fraser)
Harold Walker Fraser was born on March 19, 1917. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force on May 13, 1941, becoming part of the growing air forces preparing for
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Ken Lerner
Early Life and Education Downers Grove Historian of the Year for 2025, Ken Lerner, was born in 1956 and raised in Park Forest, Illinois. His father worked as a chemist