Wednesday, July 05, 2017
Ink-Slinger Profiles by Alex Jay: Max Rasmussen
William Max Rasmussen was born in Michigan on June 13, 1917. His birthplace is based on census records and the birth date is from the Social Security Death Index.
In the 1920 U.S. Federal Census, Rasmussen was the second of three children born to William, a farmer, and Ella. The family resided in Stanton City, Michigan. Their address was the same in the 1930 census.
Rasmussen has not yet been found in the 1940 census and information about his art training has not been found.
Rasmussen enlisted in the army on July 1, 1941 in Kalamazoo, Michigan. The commercial artist had completed four years of high school.
The Michigan Marriage Index, at Ancestry.com, said Rasmussen and Esther Grace Montgomery married in Stanton on December 30, 1941.
In 1947, Little Mitsie was published with illustrations by Rasmussen.
American Newspaper Comics (2012) said Rasmussen, Frank Williams and William Fanning were the artists on Edward Geller’s The Story of an Ambitious Man Who Made Jobs for Thousands Through Free Enterprise which began December 7, 1947. The strip was published and syndicated by the Detroit Free Press.
Dearborn, Michigan city directories for 1953 and 1955 listed Rasmussen as a commercial artist residing at 3227 Roosevelt. Rasmussen was a building contractor, at the same address, in the 1956 directory.
Rasmussen passed away July 31, 1984, in Dearborn, Michigan, according the Michigan, Death Index. He was laid to rest at the Mount Kelly Cemetery.
—Alex Jay
Labels: Ink-Slinger Profiles
