Marjorie Bennett Harrison Thomas

Marjorie Harrison Thomas, a community leader for businesswomen in Reading and Berks County, passed away peacefully at Berks Heim on Monday, June 27, 2022, surrounded by family members and caregivers. She was 101 years old.

Marjorie was born on April, 25, 1921, in Newport, Wales, where her father managed the Ebbw Vale Steelworks. In 1923, the family sailed for the U.S. after her father was hired as general manager of Berks County’s Temple Iron Co.

The family resided in Mount Penn, and later Pennside and Green Hills. Marjorie and her siblings, Cathy, Rex, and Elizabeth (Bebe), attended Mount Penn Elementary School and Pennside Junior High. In 1939, Marge graduated from Reading High School, where she was editor of the Arxalma yearbook. She then attended and later taught at McCann’s School of Business in Reading.

After enrolling at Albright College at the onset of World War II, she put her education on hold to take a job as a copywriter for Pomeroy’s department store in Reading, beginning her 60-year career at the age of 22.

Joining the war effort through the Berks County American Red Cross, she regularly drove her Hudson Terraplane to Fort Indiantown Gap to welcome battle-weary soldiers home from Europe with breakfast. She would drive back to Reading in the dead of night before returning to work the next morning.

In 1948, she moved to New York City as an assistant advertising and publicity director for Tailored Woman. She then joined the ad agency Ralf Shockey and Associates, Inc., in the Empire State Building before returning home to Reading to open Marge Thomas Advertising Agency during an era when few women were business owners.

Her focus was fashion and retail before expanding her services to clients including the Reading Board of Realtors, Reading Musical Foundation, Berks County Historical Society, the Better Business Bureau, the Borough of Wyomissing, and Spring Township.

In 1989, at the age of 68, having returned to Albright College, Marge graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration/Marketing. At 73, she earned a University of Pennsylvania certificate in Nonprofit Fund-Raising Management.

In 2021, advocated by the Women Veterans of Berks County, Thomas received a “Living Legend Proclamation” from the national Military Women’s Memorial in recognition of her volunteering to join the U.S. Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) during World War II.

She was active in the Junior League of Reading; Friends of Albright’s Freedman Gallery; the Women’s Committee, Reading Symphony Orchestra; and the Clan MacDuff Society of America. She also served as a Jefferson Township Republican Committeewoman. In the 1960s, Thomas served as a Wyomissing troop leader for the Girl Scouts of America.

She was a lifelong member of Christ Episcopal Church.

Marge’s goal in life was positive outcomes, through business, community service, education and family. She lived her mantra: “You need RMA, the right mental attitude.”

On weekends, Marge enjoyed golf, entertaining, ice skating, skiing, piano, dogs, gardening and theater.

Her husband, Winsor L. Thomas, predeceased her in 1973.

She is survived by her daughter, Heather Harrison Thomas, Reading; her son, William H.L. Thomas of Unionville, husband of Elizabeth O. Thomas; three grandchildren: Ian H. Forester, of Twin Peaks, CA; Kendal E. and William W. Thomas of Unionville; one great-granddaughter, Luella B. Forester; 25 nieces and nephews; grandnieces and grandnephews.

Funeral services will be private for the family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Christ Episcopal Church, 435 Court St., P.O. Box 1094, Reading, PA 19603-1094.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.aumansinc.com for the Thomas family.