Richard Mansfield
Richard was the first Downers Grove boy to enlist in the army flying corps; signing up two years after training. He was born in the Village of Downers Grove in
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Biography
These pages show biographical information about notable people from Downers Grove’s past.
Lois Sterba – Downers Grove Historian
Downers Grove historian Lois Sterba has called the village home since arriving in 1991. Born in Chicago and raised in Cicero, Illinois, she studied history at the University of Illinois
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John Mochel, Jr.
Sometimes, a community business becomes a town’s anchor. For 111 years, that place was Mochel’s Hardware on Main St. Charles Mochel and business partner Levi Mertz initially opened the store
John Davis Breen
Born May 3, 1931 in Dixon, Illinois, John was 78-year resident of Downers Grove. Breen was a hospital pharmacist for 40 years but was always interested in the past. John
Theodore L. Malacha
Theodore Malacha was from DuPage County and born on September 22, 1917. He graduated from Downers Grove Community High School in 1934. Sgt. Malacha was a gunner assigned to the
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Jack Lyon
Jack Lyon, a pursuit pilot of the United States Marine Corps, went down with his ship “somewhere in the South Pacific” on July 26, it is believed, in the region
Lieutenant Edward D. Lloyd
Edward D. Lloyd was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee on March 14, 1912. He came to Chicago with his parents in 1914. In 1923 the family moved to Westmont where he
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John Walter Lesniak
Born in Chicago, 1921, John Lesniak came with his parent to Downers Grove in 1926. He attended grade school and graduated from Downers Grove High School in 1940. At the
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Robert L Jones
Originally, born in Chicago (1917), Robert (Bobby) came to Downers Grove with his parents in 1923. He attended the local grade schools and graduated from Downers Grove High School in
Arthur L. Johnston
First Lieutenant Arthur L. Johnston was born in Chicago, 1918, and died in 1944 serving the army. He served with distinction as a bombardier in the 94th Bomber Group, Heavy,
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