Mary Thom, a renowned writer, editor and intellectual in the feminist movement, died on Friday in a motorcycle accident in Yonkers. The Women’s Media Center, where Ms. Thom was the editor in chief, announced her death on Saturday.
Ms. Thom, who was 68 and lived in Manhattan, was riding her 1996 Honda Magna 750 motorcycle on the Saw Mill River Parkway shortly after 4 p.m. on Friday when she hit a car, throwing her onto the road, the Westchester County police said. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
In 1972, Ms. Thom became an editor at Ms. magazine and remained with the publication until her death. She largely operated behind the scenes, shaping the prose of feminist luminaries like Gloria Steinem. She was also the author of several books, including a history of Ms. magazine, and co-edited an oral history of Bella S. Abzug, the congresswoman and feminist leader.
“Ms. Magazine, the Women’s Media Center, the women’s movement and American journalism have suffered an enormous blow,†Robin Morgan, Jane Fonda and Ms. Steinem, the founders of the center, wrote in a statement on Saturday. “Mary was and will always be our moral compass and steady heart.â€
Michael Schwirtz contributed reporting.
