Faribault has produced its share of famous people. And while many of them were athletes, not all of them were. Get to know some of the big names who came from Faribault.

  1. Zach Parise. Parise is the left wing for the Minnesota Wild. He played hockey for Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault.
  2. George Ballis. Ballis was a photographer and activist whose photos documented the efforts of Cesar Chavez and the formation of the United Farm Workers.
  3. Bruce Smith. Smith, who grew up in Faribault, was the 1941 Heisman Trophy winner. He played football for the University of Minnesota, and later for the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams.
  4. Ivan Whillock. Whillock is a world-renowned woodcarver. He lives in Faribault. His work can be found in churches, businesses and private around the world. Whillock has taught classes at the Faribault Art Center since 1974.
  5. Patrick Eaves. Eaves plays for the NHL’s Dallas Stars. He was raised in Faribault and attended Shattuck-St. Mary’s.
  6. Grace McKinstry. McKinstry, an internationally known artist, lived in Faribault in the late 1800s and early 1900s. She has works on display at the Rice County Historical Society, the Minnesota Historical Society and the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, as well as in the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
  7. Mark Dusbabek. Dusbabek was linebacker for three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings (1989-92). He attended high school in Faribault.
  8. William Francis Melchert-Dinkel. Melchert-Dinkel of Faribault became internationally famous by successfully encouraging suicides by internet. He was initially convicted in 2011, but the Minnesota Supreme Court reversed the conviction in 2014.

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