 -- Cartoonist Brad Anderson, the man who created the long-running "Marmaduke" comic strip in 1954, according to a statement from the National Cartoonists Society. He was 91.

"The NCS and the world of cartooning lost one of its true luminaries last week with the passing of Brad Anderson, creator of the comic 'Marmaduke," read the official statement. "Brad passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, Aug. 30th."

Born in 1924, Anderson loved drawing even as a child, and, according to his NCS bio, sold his first cartoon when he was just 15. During his time in the Navy during World War II, he continued to create cartoons and in 1953, the Syracuse University grad quit his job in advertising to focus on his passion full-time. A year later, "Marmaduke" was born.

"Marmaduke is very expressive and very active, and he’s always doing something funny or ridiculous or crazy,” Anderson said in a 2010 profile. "Every day, people can read Marmaduke and expect to get a little chuckle!"

According to American Profile, Anderson, who grew up in New York, moved to Texas in 1994 to be closer to his family. At the time, that included four children, six grandchildren and six great-children. The 2013 winner of NCS's Milton Caniff Lifetime Achievement Award, Anderson worked on "Marmaduke" up until his death.

“Every day, I go to work still enjoying the challenge of creating expression and body language,” he said in the American Profile interview. “It’s never a burden, never a job. It’s just fun."