Keep on rolling . . .

Thelma Keane died last Friday. She was the husband of Bill Keane, creator of the Family Circus comic strip. The strip has been in continuous syndication since the early 60's and appears in over 1500 newspapers worldwide.

The model and inspiration for the mom in the one panel strip, she was recognized on the street in the early days, so close was the cartoon to the real person.

Bill and Thelma met during WWII in Australia. They worked in the same war bonds office, she was a secretary and he was a promo artist for the American military. They married in 1948 and returned with Bill to the states.

Thelma was a big part of the Family Circus's success on another front too: she was a shrewd business manager, keeping the business of the daily strip in well organized hands.

Originally called the Family Circle (hence the round panel) they changed the name because of objections from that other famous Family Circle, the magazine. Bill Keane still draws the cartoon today at age 85 with the help of his son Jeff.