Tenth Letter of the Alphabet: Comics: John Bulthuis, Letterer and Artist

Monday, September 1, 2025

Comics: John Bulthuis, Letterer and Artist

John Carl Bulthuis was born on January 8, 1919 in the Bronx, New York according to his World War II draft card. His parents were Ludwig Bulthuis and Auguste Albine Holland, both German immigrants, who married in Manhattan on April 25, 1917.

The 1920 United States Census counted Bulthuis (line 56), his parents, older sister, Minnie, and his father’s brother-in-law in the Bronx at 1872 Bathgate Avenue. Bulthuis’ father was a bartender. Bulthuis’ first name was Jochum which was the name of his paternal grandfather; see above marriage certificate.

Bulthuis’ mother took three-year-old Bulthuis and his sister on a trip to Europe. The passport application said they were to visit Germany, France and Holland, and see Bulthuis’ maternal grandmother. Their ship was scheduled to leave on May 8, 1922.

The trio was aboard the ship Hansa when it departed Hamburg on August 12, 1922. They arrived in New York on August 22, 1922. The passenger list recorded Bulthuis’ first name as Joachim.

In the 1930 census, the Bulthuis family (lines 68 to 71) were Bronx residents at 1872 Bathgate Avenue. Bulthuis’ father was a mechanic.

According to the 1940 census, Bulthuis (line 67) was an artist who worked for a magazine company. He lived with his parents in the Bronx at 601 East 178th Street. His father was a bartender. Bulthuis had four years of high school and earned $1,404 in 1939.

Who’s Who of American Comic Books 1928–1999 said Bulthuis began as a letterer at MLJ. The Grand Comics Database said Bulthuis drew the character Gypsy Johnson who appeared in five issues of Blue Ribbon Comics. He signed his name as Johann Bulthuis in issue number five.

On October 16, 1940, Bulthuis signed his draft card. His Bronx address was 3153 Decatur Avenue. After the war, it was updated to 13 Allen Street in Lynbrook, New York. Bulthuis was described as five feet eight inches, 130 pounds, with blue eyes and blonde hair.

Bulthuis enlisted in the Navy on December 27, 1940. He served overseas in the European Theater.

Bulthuis’ engagement to Dorothy Blaum, of Lynbrook, New York, was announced in the Brooklyn Eagle, January 2, 1944, and Newsday, January 5, 1944. They married on April 7, 1946.

The 1950 census said Bulthuis (line 12), his wife and daughter, Deborah, lived with his in-laws in Lynbrook at 13 Allen Street. His father-in-law was a carpenter. Bulthuis’ occupation was not recorded.

Bulthuis said he worked on Classics Illustrated #86, August 1951, “Under Two Flags”. The other artist was Maurice Del Bourgo. Bulthuis drew stories for Weird Tales of the Future #1, March 1952, “The Time Has Come”, and Mister Mystery #7, September 1952, “The Killer!”.

Weird Tales of the Future #1

Mister Mystery #7; signed last panel

At some point, Bulthuis moved to New Jersey. He was listed in the 1960 Paterson city directory at 37 2nd Avenue. His home address was in the Spot Illustration category of Who’s Who in Commercial Art and Photography (1964).

Bulthuis passed away on February 14, 2019. An obituary was posted at Higgins Home for Funerals.

John Carl Bulthuis, artist, storyteller, and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family on the evening of February 14, 2019. Born January 8, 1919 in the Bronx, John lived to be 100 years old, because, as he said, “I think that it would please me.”

John looked at the world through the eyes of an artist, seeing beauty in rundown buildings, sunsets, and the ordinary people he’d sketch at the grocery store. His legacy lies, at least in part, in the drawings that fill his countless sketchbooks. He studied at The Art Students League of New York. His career as an illustrator began at McGraw Hill Publishing Company. He next drew for the Journal of Medical Economics and later for West Essex Graphics.

One of the great honors of John’s life was serving in the United States Navy as a third class radioman during World War II. John was on duty to receive the wire informing his ship’s captain that the United States had entered the war, and he witnessed the ship’s captain informing his men, “Gentlemen, we are at war.” His beloved ship, the USS Meredith, participated in the Doolittle Raid; John recalled participating in D-Day, gifting his harmonica to a soldier as he disembarked the ship to attack on the beaches of Normandy. Before the Meredith’s final mission, John was ordered off the ship with a case of pneumonia. While he was recuperating on shore, the Meredith was attacked and sunk in ten minutes. John mourned the loss of his shipmates — many of whom are immortalized in the pages of the sketchbooks he kept during the war — for the rest of his life.

His military service was inspired by a deep love for his country which never left him. John always believed in the goodness of Americans: “Americans are kind and good people. We treated our enemies extremely well. If they were wounded, we dressed their wounds. If they were hungry, we fed them. If they were in danger, we saved them...That’s the kind of people we are.”

Eclipsing even his passion for his art and his love of country was his endless devotion to his beloved Dorothy. Married for 72 years, John and Dorothy’s story began at a USO dance in 1943 where John caught sight of a beautiful girl in a red dress, and he was “no longer weary.” Their enduring love represents the best of what marriage can be. For John and his Dorothy, there could never be enough time.

It is difficult to put into words the gift that John was to those who knew him. He was a masterful storyteller, a true gentleman, and as charismatic as they come. He will be dearly missed.

John is preceded in death by his sister, Marie Dallas. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Bulthuis of Edison, and his two daughters, Deborah Przybylowski-Raggi and her husband, John, of Green Brook, and Janette Ingraham of Lisle, NY.

He is also survived by his grandchildren, Samuel Battles; Abigail Glezen and her husband, Randy; Laura Jones and her husband, Eric; Mark Przybylowski and his wife, Kaya; Kristin Carlson and her husband, Evan; and Veronica Raggi. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Cayden, Noah, Juliet, Ada, Siena, Cole, and Avery.

Viewing will take place at 9:00 am on Saturday, February 23 with funeral services beginning at 10:00 am at the Church of the Holy Cross in North Plainfield. Burial will follow at Hillside Cemetery in Plainfield. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in John’s name to his home church, St. Clement’s Episcopal Church in Hawthorne, NJ.

Bulthuis’ wife, Dorothy passed away on January 20, 2021. An obituary was posted at Tribute Archive.

Dorothy Mabel Bulthuis, lovingly known as Dottie, died at the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home in Edison, New Jersey at the age of 96. She was surrounded by the love of her family, and the Veterans Home staff.

Dorothy was born on July 23, 1924 in Lynbrook, New York. She lived in a home constructed by her father, William Blum, for his family-wife, Mabel, two sons, William and Harold and his darling daughter, Dottie.

Dorothy married the love of her life, John Carl Bulthuis, on April 7, 1946 after meeting at a USO dance where Dorothy sang during World War II. The letters they exchanged during the war shine with their devotion to each other. That love continued for 73 years and was evident to all who knew them.

After the war, the couple continued to live with Dorothy’s parents in Lynbrook so that John could continue his education. They eventually moved to Paterson, NJ with their two daughters, Deborah and Janette. They lived in their home until 2017 when health issues demanded care at the Veteran’s Home.

Dorothy possessed a keen mind, common sense, wisdom and strong organizational skills, which her family admired and appreciated. She was stronger than she knew and was the center of her family. Everyone thrived because of her belief that “one loved with an open hand.”

She loved sewing clothes for her children, creating cross stitch crewels and solving crossword puzzles, the harder the better. She played both the piano and organ and had a beautiful singing voice. She was a wonderful cook and gracious hostess. All were welcome at her table.

Helpful neighbors were rewarded with her delicious cranberry nut bread. Ever mindful of her family, she worked part time at a local business in order to be near her children.

Dorothy lived her 96 years as a loving soul, oftentimes putting the needs of others before her own. Her loving and supportive nature will be missed by all who knew and loved her.

Dorothy’s beloved John passed away in February 2019.

She is survived by her two daughters, Deborah Przybylowski-Raggi and her husband John of Green Brook and Janette Ingraham of Lisle, NY. She adored her six grandchildren: Samuel Battles; Abigail Glezen and her husband, Randy; Laura Jones and her husband, Eric; Mark Przybylowski and his wife, Kaya; Kristin Carlson and her husband, Evan and Veronica Raggi. Dorothy was blessed with eight great-grandchildren: Cayden, Hadley, Noah, Juliet, Ada, Siena, Cole and Avery.

Burial will be at Hillside Cemetery in Scotch Plains on Saturday, January 23rd at 11:00 in the morning. A celebration of Dorothy’s life will be held at a later date at The Church of the Holy Cross in North Plainfield.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Dorothy’s name to her home church, St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, 271 Lafayette Avenue, Hawthorne, NJ, 07506.