March is Women’s History Month.
Phyllis Lillian Muchow was born on September 22, 1918 in Evanston, Illinois according to a family tree at Ancestry.com.
The 1920 United States Census counted Muchow, her parents, William and Lillian, and older brother, William, in Evanston at 1011 Grove Street. Her father was a dentist.
In the 1930 census the Muchows resided in Evanston at 1316 Davis Street. Muchow had two younger brothers, Gordon and John. Her father was a president in the mining industry. Muchow was mentioned in Uncle Mame: The Life of Patrick Dennis (2000). Patrick Dennis, a friend of Gordon, nicknamed her Cindy for Cinderella.
On June 17, 1932 Muchow graduated Nichols Intermediate School (reported in the Evanston Review, June 2, 1932). Four years later she was an Evanston Township High School graduate (below).
Muchow was a freshman at Northwestern University. The Daily Northwestern, May 4, 1937, published her answer to the question, What is, in your opinion, the greatest need of the University?
Phyllis Muchow, Freshman, LA—“I think Northwestern needs a campus eating-place. Three blocks is too far to go for a coke or a sandwich between classes, and it is usually then that we feel the need for new energy.”At some point Muchow transferred to the National College of Education where she graduated in 1940. The class prophecy said “Muchow will be a veterinary.”
According to the 1940 census Muchow lived with her parents and siblings at the same address in Evanston.
In the early 1940s Muchow moved to New York City. Trina Robbins’ Pretty in Ink (2013) published a photograph of her, holding the September 1942 Esquire, at Coney Island.
Muchow was an editorial associate at Coronet magazine. Her name appeared in the staff box from December 1943 to August 1945. One of the editors was Bernard Geis. The managing editor was Arnold Gingrich who was a co-founder of Esquire magazine.
From June to December 1946 Muchow produced Taffy for Timely’s Miss America magazine. Her artwork can be viewed in the following issues: June, August (below), September, November and December. A checklist of Muchow’s Taffy is at the Grand Comics Database. Muchow’s Taffy was mentioned in Trina Robbins’ A Century of Women Cartoonists (1993).
Muchow returned to Evanston and was listed in the 1948 city directory. Her occupation was editor in Chicago.
Muchow was counted in her father’s household in the 1950 census. The Muchows lived at the same Evanston address. Muchow was a journalist at a publishing company.
At some point Muchow returned to New York. Her contributions to Esquire have not been cataloged.
On February 2, 1957 Muchow and Bruce Williamson married in Greenwich, Connecticut.
The following year they sailed to England and arrived on August 2, 1958. They planned to visit for twelve days.
Around 1960 Muchow’s daughter, Stephanie, was born. Stephanie wrote about her mother in the 2018 post, Supplies at Hand.
Muchow’s former husband passed away on October 6, 1998.
On June 17, 2013 Muchow passed away in Alameda, California. Her obituary appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Muchow was counted in her father’s household in the 1950 census. The Muchows lived at the same Evanston address. Muchow was a journalist at a publishing company.
At some point Muchow returned to New York. Her contributions to Esquire have not been cataloged.
On February 2, 1957 Muchow and Bruce Williamson married in Greenwich, Connecticut.
The following year they sailed to England and arrived on August 2, 1958. They planned to visit for twelve days.
Around 1960 Muchow’s daughter, Stephanie, was born. Stephanie wrote about her mother in the 2018 post, Supplies at Hand.
Muchow’s former husband passed away on October 6, 1998.
On June 17, 2013 Muchow passed away in Alameda, California. Her obituary appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Phyllis Williamson passed away peacefully in Alameda on June 17, 2013. She was born Phyllis Muchow in Evanston, Illinois. After graduating from Northwestern University, she worked as a writer and editor for many publications including Esquire, Time, and Forbes until her retirement at age 81. Phyllis lived in Greenwich Village from the late 1940’s until 2009. She had many fascinating stories to tell. She is survived by her daughter Stephanie (Joseph McGuire), grandsons Henry and Ethan, brothers Gordon and Johnny, and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her former husband, film critic Bruce Williamson, parents William and Lillian Muchow, and brother Ralph Muchow.
Phyllis was a passionate devotee of art, history and culture, who loved collecting rocks and shells on the beaches of Montauk and Nantucket Island. A private family memorial will be held at a future date in Nantucket, MA.
Women in Comics Posts
Jeanne Alippe, Ruth Atkinson, Olive Bailey, Valerie Barclay, Vivian Berg, Jean Callahan, Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Ellen Cole, Corinne Boyd Dillon, Anahid Dinkjian,
Barbara Clark Fogel, Laura E. Foster, Evelyn Gaines aka Lynn Lovelace, Merna Gamble, Gerda Gattel, Selma Meyers Gleit, Jane Krom Grammer, Anita Greene,
Anna Kaufman, Bessie Mae Kelley, Nadine French King, Alice Kirkpatrick, Grace Kremer, Ada Levy, Pauline Loth, Veda Lufkin,
Marion McDermott, Emma C. McKean, Tarpé Mills, Claire S. Moe, Phyllis Muchow, Lily Reneé, Ruth Roche,
Georgette Sauterel, Marie Severin, Marcia Snyder, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Serena Summerfield, Daisy Swayze, Terry Szenics, Claire Szep,
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