journalist; anti-lynching activist David M. Nelson (1920–1991) – football coach; College Football Hall of Famer John A. Nicholson (1827–1906) – lawyer; U. S. Representative from Delaware O Alfie Oakes (born 1968) – farmer and businessman; born in Delaware City Brett Oberholtzer – baseball pitcher, Houston Astros; born in Christiana Charles Oberly (born 1946) – attorney; born in Wilmington John W. O'Daniel – general, U.S. Army; commander, 3rd Infantry Division during World War II Christine O'Donnell (born 1969) – Republican candidate, U.S. Senate (2006, 2008 and 2010) Brian O'Neill (born 1995) – NFL offensive lineman; born in Wilmington Shane O'Neill (born 1972) – tattoo artist, season one winner of Ink Master; born in Middletown Kirk Olivadotti (born 1974) – NFL coach; born in Wilmington Ed Oliver (1915–1961) – professional golfer; born in Wilmington Jeff Otah (born 1986) – former NFL offensive lineman; attended William Penn High School William Outten (1948–2020) – member of the Delaware House of Representatives; born in Milford Montell Owens – professional football player; born in Wilmington Robert "Bob" Older – Small business advocate. Founder Delaware Small Business Chamber. Entrepreneur. Mehmet Oz – surgeon; television personality; attended Tower Hill School P William Jackson Palmer (1836–1909) – general, American Civil War; railroad developer; philanthropist; born in Leipsic Rudolph Pariser (born 1923) – scientist; formulator, Pariser–Parr–Pople method George Parshall (1929–2019) – scientist; chemical weapons destruction activist John Patten (1746–1800) – General Assemblyman; U.S. Representative from Delaware Samuel Paynter (1768–1845) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware Charles J. Pedersen (1904–1989) – co-recipient, 1987 Nobel Prize in Chemistry; lived in Delaware (1927–1969) William Peery (1743–1800) – General Assemblyman; Continental Congressman from Delaware John B. Penington (1825–1902) – Attorney General of Delaware; U. S. Representative from Delaware Simeon S. Pennewill (1867–1935) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware Arthur Perry (born 1946) – basketball player and coach Russell W. Peterson (1916–2011) – scientist; Governor of Delaware; chairman, White House Council on Environmental Quality; president, National Audubon Society Daniel Pfeiffer (born 1975) – Senior Advisor to the President under U.S. President Barack Obama Ryan Phillippe (born 1974) – actor; born in New Castle Aubrey Plaza (born 1984) – actress; comedian; April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation David Plouffe (born 1967) – Senior Advisor to the President under U.S. President Barack Obama; born in Wilmington Albert F. Polk (1869–1955) – lawyer; U.S. Representative from Delaware Charles Polk Jr. (1788–1857) – General Assemblyman; Governor of Delaware Teri