Comics: Alberta Tews, Writer, Assistant Editor and Letterer

Alberta Emma Tews was born on October 28, 1917, in New York, New York, according to her Social Security application at Ancestry.com. Tews parents were Albert August Tews and Emma Bodach. 

The Tews family has not yet been found in the 1920 United States Census. 

The 1930 census recorded Tews, her parents and older sister, Wanda, in Weehawken, New Jersey at 1802 Willow Avenue. Her father was a barge captain. Some time after 1935 the family moved. 

The Jersey Journal (Jersey City, New Jersey), January 29, 1932, mentioned Tews, a Woodrow Wilson High School student, who performed a newsboy dance on the International Night program. 

Tews was a member of the Mecca Assembly, Order of the Rainbow for Girls, Doric Temple in Union City. The Jersey Journal, January 20, 1933, said she was the color Green officer. According to the Jersey Journal, September 9, 1933, Tews, of West New York, was the chaplain. Jersey Journal, January 18, 1935, reported her as drill leader. 

According to the 1940 census, Tews and her parents were Brooklyn, New York residents at 175 34th Street. Tews was employed as a clerk at a business office. 

Tews was named next of kin on her father’s World War II draft card that was signed on April 27, 1942. Her home address was the same. 

Tews had a brief career in the comic book industry. Tews was credited for scripting the Miss Victory story in Captain Fearless Comics #2, September 1941. Her name appeared as Al. Tews on the splash page. Miss Victory appeared in Captain Aero Comics, #12, June 1942. Tews used the pseudonym Tuesday on The Ragman story in Cat-Man Comics, #7, January 1943. The Grand Comics Database has a few more of Tews’s 1940s credits. It’s doubtful she did any comics during the 1950s because she had a family in Michigan. 

Jim Amash interviewed Vincent Fago, of Timely Comics, in Alter Ego #11, November 2001. Fago said

Alberta Tews was also a freelance letterer. One day she came in and told me she'd had her teeth knocked out playing basketball the day before. She said it was no big deal because they were false teeth, even though she was a young girl.

Tews’ comics career ended when she joined the military. The Brooklyn Eagle (New York), February 22, 1943, reported the start of her service. 

Three Borough Women Are Among First in N.Y. to Join Marine Corps

Three Brooklynites are among the first 14 women to join the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve in this area. They were sworn in as privates Saturday by Lt. Col. Frank V. McKinless, in charge of the Office of Procurement and Women’s Reserve Recruiting at 33 Pine St., Manhattan. 

The “Ipathernecks” from this borough are Alberta Tews of 175 34th St., assistant editor of a comic magazine publishing firm, and Dorothy Lonergan and Mary Jingold, telephone operators, both of 2421 E. 38th St.

The recruits will begin training at Hunter College on March 5 and after a six-week indoctrination course will receive two weeks of marine corps instruction. Women officer candidates begin training at Smith College on March 13.

The Brooklyn Eagle, April 6, 1943, said “Enlisted marines at the Bronx training school are ... Alberta Tews of 175 34th St. …”

In North Carolina, Tews met another Marine, Forrest Willard Van Dorn. They married on March 4, 1944 in Craven, North Carolina. 

The July 15, 1944 Brooklyn Eagle said “Alberta E. Tews of 175 34th St. has been promoted to corporal at Cherry Point, N.C.”

According to a January 1945 Marine Corps muster roll, at Ancestry.com, Tews was a sergeant and mechanic at the Aviation Women’s Reserve Headquarters Squadron 18, AWRG-1 U.S.M.C. Air Station, Cherry Point, North Carolina.

Her husband’s address was updated on his draft card. RFD #1, McComb, Hancock, Ohio was crossed out and replaced with 102 Reading Avenue and then 91 Sharp Street, Hillsdale, Michigan. 

The 1950 census counted Tews, her husband and daughter, Vena, in Hillsdale at 205 Oak Haven. Tews was a housewife and her husband a truck driver. 

There was an Alberta Van Dorn, Alberta VanDorn and Al Van Dorn who contributed to The Craftsman, a magazine about leather crafts. The name appeared in The Craftsman Annual Index, Volume 7, 1962–1963; The Craftsman Annual Index, Volume 9, 1964–1965; and The Craftsman Annual Index, Volume 10, 1965–1966. 

At some point, Tews and her husband retired to Bowman, Georgia. Their address was 453 Herndon Circle. He passed away on March 15, 1996. Four years later, Tews passed away on May 21, 2000 in Georgia.

Comics Letterer Posts

A. Machine and Royal Cartoon, Mario Acquaviva, Al Allard, Gerald Altman, Gene Barnett, Betty Bentley, Vivian Berg, Daniel Bhang, John Bulthuis, Ray Burley, Ray Burzon,

Jean Callahan, Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Milton Cohen, Ellen Cole, Herb Cooper, Danny Crespi, Laurens Crossley,

Jon D’Agostino, James Daleo, Martin DeMuth, Shel Dorf, Marty Epp, Howard Ferguson, Herb Field, 

Gerda Gattel, Selma Meyers Gleit, Louis L. Goldklang, Angelo Grasso, Anita Greene, Al Grenet, Ed Hamilton, Delores Heilman, Ray Holloway, IBM Directory, Alex Jay, Albert and Charlotte Jetter, 

Abe Kanegson, George Kapitan, Anna Kaufman, Gary Keller, Rick Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok, 

Bob Lander, Bob Laughlin, Bob Leatherbarrow, Shelly Leferman, Len Leone, Joe Letterese, Veda Lufkin, 

Robert N. MacLeod/Leroy Lettering, Lee Maroshek, Larry Mayer, Ed McLean, Jack Meltzer, Mel Millar, Jim Novak, Bill Oakley, Ben Oda,

Walter Palais, Stephen Palmisano, Charles Paris, Otto Pirkola, Fred Proctor, Jerry Robinson, Joe and Sam Rosen, George Roussos,

Georgette Sauterel, Ira Schnapp, Irving Settel, Artie Simek, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Herman Stackel, Stan Starkman, Daisy Swayze, Zoltan and Terry Szenics, 

Richard Deane Taylor, Alberta Tews, Matthew Tweedy, Frank Vina, George Ward, Irv Watanabe, Irving Werstein, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber

Women in Comics Posts

Jeanne Alippe, Ruth Atkinson, Olive Bailey, Valerie Barclay, Betty Bentley, Vivian Berg, Zena Brody, Jean Callahan, Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Ellen Cole, Corinne Boyd Dillon, Anahid Dinkjian, Jill Elgin,

Barbara Clark Fogel, Laura E. Foster, Evelyn Gaines aka Lynn Lovelace, Merna Gamble, Gerda Gattel, Selma Meyers Gleit, Jane Krom Grammer, Anita Greene,

Bonnie Hano, Delores Heilman, Ray Hermann, Joye Hummel, Marjorie Wilkes Huntley, Grace Jacquet, Charlotte Jetter, 

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, 

Alberta Tews, Peggy Zangerle

(Next post on Monday: Stunt Roman by Ross F. George)

Comics: Veda Lufkin, Artist, Letterer and Teacher

Veda Lufkin was born Thada Lucille Benbrook on March 8, 1919, in Rosebud, Montana, according to the Montana County Births at Ancestry.com. However, the spelling of her middle is Luceil at Find a Grave. Lufkin’s parents were Fred Benbrook (1890–1963) and Addie Latham (1889–1969). 

In the 1920 United States Census, Lufkin lived with her parents and older brother in School District 56 of Yellowstone, Montana. Her father was a public school teacher.

Lufkin has not yet been found in the 1930 census. A family tree at Ancestry.com said her parents divorced in the mid-1930s. 

Lufkin attended Moline Senior High School in Moline, Illinois. She graduated in 1936. 

1936 M yearbook

The Rock Island Argus (Illinois), July 10, 1936, reported Lufkin’s marriage to Richard M. Hill. 

Thada Benbrook Is East Moline Bride

Married to Richard M. Hill of Moline at Evening Rites.

Miss Thada Benbrook, daughter of Mrs. Adeline Benbrook, 2129 Seventh avenue, Moline, became the bride of Richard M. Hill of Moline, son of Mrs. Mary Hill of Marseilles, at 6:30 o’clock last night.

The service took place in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph E. Miller, 2236 Third avenue. East Moline, and the Rev. R. J. VanAlstyne of Port Byron, formerly of East Molina, officiated. 

Miss June Leeper of Molina was the bridesmaid and Revis Benbrook, brother of the bride, was the best man. 

The bride and her attendant descended a stairway and entered the living room where they were met by the bridegroom and the best man in front of the fireplace which was banked with palms, ferns and cut flowers to provide an attractive setting for the wedding. Only a few relatives and friends were present. 

The bride wore a fitted gown of white satin featuring a lace yoke and long sleeves which extended into points at the wrists. The skirt was long with a slight fullness at the bottom. A finger-tip veil of tulle was attached to a tiny lace cup. The bridal bouquet consisted of white roses and babysbreath in an arm arrangement. 

Miss Leeper was in a crepe frock of ashes-of-roses shade made with long skirt and cap sleeves and her flowers were yellow roses. Dinner Is Served.

Following the ceremony a wedding dinner was served in the Millar home, covers being laid at one table which was daintily trimmed in blue and white satin, with a white wedding cake as the centerpiece.

The young couple will begin housekeeping immediately in Moline, deferring their honeymoon trip until later.

The bride attended East Molina and Molina high school and has been engaged as a clerk in the Karmelcorn shop in Molina. Mr. Hill was graduated from Marseilles high school and is employed at the John Deere Plow works in Molina.

At some point Lufkin moved to Chicago, Illinois, where she may have attended an art school. 

According to the 1940 census, Lufkin was single and a member of an uncle’s household in Chicago at 4654 West Ferdinand Street. She worked as a salesgirl at a department store. The census misspelled her first name and had the wrong birthplace. 

Lufkin, as Thada Benbrook, was mentioned in the Chicago Daily Tribune, December 20, 1941. 

Annual Carol Service.

The Chicago College Glee club will present its annual carol service with readings by Miss Thada Benbrook after a candlelight supper at the club at 6 o’clock tomorrow night. Members of the Glee club will be hostesses.

From Chicago Lufkin moved to New York City. 

It’s not known how Lufkin met her husband, Willfred Weymouth Lufkin Jr. They obtained a Manhattan marriage license on June 12, 1943 and married four days later. 

This was Lufkin’s third marriage. The marriage license said she divorced Jack Bernstein on May 14, 1943 in Miami, Florida. 

In the mid-1940s, Lufkin found work in the comic book industry. She was mentioned in the Long Island Star-Journal (Long Island City, New York), January 29, 1944.

Soroptimists Group Hears Jo Carroll

Members of the North Shore Soroptimists Club were entertained at a program and dinner meeting by Jo Carroll of the Queensboro Public Library, Jamaica.

The meeting, held in the Colonial House, Flushing, was arranged by Nell McCormick Thyberg of Kew Gardens, program chairman.

Among the guests were Mrs. Thada Lufkin of Kew Gardens, comic artist; Miss Margaret Schumacher, dietician, and Mrs. Grace Wright, former interior decorator now in photographic work, both of Flushing, and Mrs. Ruth Harrison of Whitestone associated with Mrs. 

Wright.

The next meeting will be held Feb. 10 at the same address with dinner at 6:10 P. M.

In Alter Ego #11, November 2001, Vince Fago, of Timely Comics, was interviewed by Jim Amash. 

Amash: What about other production people or letterers?

Fago: Billie Landis was a musician, sculptor, freelance letterer, and a friend.

Veda Lufkin was a housewife from New Jersey, and she’d letter at home.

Lufkin, her husband and three children were Maplewood, New Jersey residents in the 1950 census. They lived at 455 Walton Road. Lufkin was a housewife and her husband a textile mill vice president. He passed away April 12, 1957. 

Some time later, Lufkin settled in Winsted, Connecticut where she was a public high school art teacher. An obituary in the Hartford Courant (Connecticut), February 24, 1986, said she taught from 1961 to 1972. The Courant, February 17, 1963, reported the Connecticut Scholastic Art prizewinners. 

Winsted—The Gilbert School: Teacher, Mrs. Thada B. Lufkin; student, David Gundelach. 

Lufkin had an entry in the Academic Artists Association’s 12th Annual Exhibition of Realistic Art (1961). 

34. Thistle, Thada B. Lufkin, Winsted, Conn.

The 1967 Winsted, Connecticut city directory listed Lufkin, as a teacher at the Gilbert School, and her mother. Both were widows who lived off Platt Hill Road.

The Courant said Lufkin “had lived in the Colebrook and Winchester area for 17 years. … She owned and operated Lufkins Rock Cornish Game Hens … and for the last 14 years was the manager of Whale Real Estate, Martha’s Vineyard, Mass. She was a member of the Litchfield Art Association, the Colebrook Board of Education and the Footlights Club.”

The Public Records Index, 1950–1993, Volume 2, at Ancestry.com, said Lufkin lived in Edgartown, Massachusetts at 43 Edgewood Drive. 

Lufkin passed away on February 23, 1986, in Hartford according to the Connecticut Death Index. She was laid to rest at New Westside Cemetery. 

Comics Letterer Posts

A. Machine and Royal Cartoon, Mario Acquaviva, Al Allard, Gerald Altman, Gene Barnett, Betty Bentley, Vivian Berg, Daniel Bhang, John Bulthuis, Ray Burley, Ray Burzon,

Jean Callahan, Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Milton Cohen, Ellen Cole, Herb Cooper, Danny Crespi, Laurens Crossley,

Jon D’Agostino, James Daleo, Martin DeMuth, Shel Dorf, Marty Epp, Howard Ferguson, Herb Field, 

Gerda Gattel, Selma Meyers Gleit, Louis L. Goldklang, Angelo Grasso, Anita Greene, Al Grenet, Ed Hamilton, Delores Heilman, Ray Holloway, IBM Directory, Alex Jay, Albert and Charlotte Jetter, 

Abe Kanegson, George Kapitan, Anna Kaufman, Gary Keller, Rick Keller, Nadine French King, Ralph Komisarow, Grace Kremer, Morrie Kuramoto, Al Kurzrok, 

Bob Lander, Bob Laughlin, Bob Leatherbarrow, Shelly Leferman, Len Leone, Joe Letterese, Veda Lufkin, 

Robert N. MacLeod/Leroy Lettering, Lee Maroshek, Larry Mayer, Ed McLean, Jack Meltzer, Mel Millar, Jim Novak, Bill Oakley, Ben Oda,

Walter Palais, Stephen Palmisano, Charles Paris, Otto Pirkola, Fred Proctor, Jerry Robinson, Joe and Sam Rosen, George Roussos,

Georgette Sauterel, Ira Schnapp, Irving Settel, Rome Siemon, Artie Simek, Lora Sprang aka Pat Gordon, Herman Stackel, Stan Starkman, Daisy Swayze, Zoltan and Terry Szenics, 

Richard Deane Taylor, Alberta Tews, Matthew Tweedy, Frank Vina, George Ward, Irv Watanabe, Irving Werstein, Leo Wurtzel, John Yakata, Bill Yoshida, Bernie Zuber

Women in Comics Posts

Jeanne Alippe, Ruth Atkinson, Olive Bailey, Valerie Barclay, Betty Bentley, Vivian Berg, Zena Brody, Jean Callahan, Helen Chu aka Duffy Mohler, Ellen Cole, Corinne Boyd Dillon, Anahid Dinkjian, Jill Elgin,

Barbara Clark Fogel, Laura E. Foster, Evelyn Gaines aka Lynn Lovelace, Merna Gamble, Gerda Gattel, Selma Meyers Gleit, Jane Krom Grammer, Anita Greene,

Bonnie Hano, Delores Heilman, Ray Hermann, Joye Hummel, Marjorie Wilkes Huntley, Grace Jacquet, Charlotte Jetter, 

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, 

Alberta Tews, Peggy Zangerle

(Next post on Monday: A Few Details About Artist Vic Carrabotta and His Wife, Connie Zeagler)