Bradley ‘‘Brad’’ Anderson

Brad, cartoonist and creator of Marmaduke, was born May 14, 1924, in Jamestown, N.Y., to Jennie (Solomonson) and Perle Anderson. He went to the great drawing board in the sky just 10 days short of the 70th wedding anniversary with his high school sweetheart, Barbara.

He was born with a pen in his hand and continued to draw cartoons for all of his 91 years. Brad was a kind, humble, caring man who cherished his family and friends. He and his wife enjoyed hosting family holidays and celebrations in their home. He was a constant reader, loved cars, road trips, gardening and the cats and dogs who became family members.

He was predeceased by his sister, Irene Thompson, of Bemus Point, N.Y.

Brad loved drawing from an early age and sold his first cartoon to Flying Aces while still in high school. After graduation in 1943 from Brocton Central School in Brocton, N.Y., Brad immediately joined the U.S. Navy. During World War II, he served his country in the Pacific Theater as a Motor Machinist’s Mate First Class in charge of the engine room of the USS LCI (I)-744, a landing craft infantry ship, during some of the biggest naval campaigns of the war. He also contributed cartoons to various U.S. Navy publications.

After his discharge, Brad attended Syracuse University on the GI bill and was an art director and cartoonist for the SU magazine, The Syracusan. He also worked for and later headed the university’s graphic arts department. Graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with a major in advertising in 1951, he then joined an advertising agency, but his love of drawing cartoons led him to the decision to make cartooning a full-time career. He freelanced cartoons to The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s and other magazines. He also drew a syndicated strip called Grandpa’s Boy in the 1950s and 1960s.

In 1954, he created the loveable Great Dane car-toon panel Marmaduke. Brad truly loved drawing Marmaduke and over the years included his family and friends from his child-hood in Chautauqua County, N.Y., and his own dogs and cats in the comic strip. The outpour of fan letters led Brad to add Doggone Funny to the Sunday page, allowing dog owners to share the antics of their own dogs in the Sunday comic.

Brad was honored by his peers of the National Cartoonists Society with the Newspaper Panel Award in 1978 and Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. He was recognized by Syracuse University with the George Arents Award for outstanding contributions in his field in 1999. His cartoons have been exhibited in numerous museums and galleries, and over two dozen books have been published of his daily panel and Sunday Marmduke cartoons. Additionally, Marmaduke was a Saturday cartoon show with Heathcliff, the subject of a motion picture, and featured on Animal Planet’s Breed All About It and Dogs 101. Brad and Marmaduke have participated in numerous charities and Brad especially enjoyed giving chalk talks to children at elementary schools.

He was elected to receive the 33rd degree awarded by the Sovereign Jurisdiction of the Scottish Rite Freemasonry. Brad was a member of the Carroll Lodge 1147 at Frewsburg, N.Y. He was also a lifetime member of the American Legion Post of Brocton, N.Y., and a member of the National Cartoonists Society along with the Texas Chapter of the NCS.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Barbara; and their children and partners; daughter, Christine Potchernick (Rick), sons: Craig, Paul (Dorothy) and Mark (Phyllis).

He was the best grandpa to grandchildren: Lisa CastanedaFaus (Salvador), Mateo Castaneda, Jeffrey Castaneda (Joan), Eric Anderson (Joanna), Justin Anderson (Julie) and Sara Granberry (Robert); His great-grandchildren are: Sofia, Santiago and Zoe Faus, Caelum and Iverly Anderson, Jacob, Jeremy, and Joel Anderson, Blake and Reece Granberry, step-grandchildren: Boyd, Darren, and Yolanda Scroggins; and brother-in-law Donald Thompson of Bemus Point, N.Y. He also leaves behind other family members, friends and fans.

A service will be held at a later date in his hometown of Portland, N.Y., to celebrate his life. Memorial contributions can be made in his name to Shriners Hospital for Children-Galveston, 518 Market St., Galveston, Texas 77550.