Edward Thompson; Former Editor of Life, Smithsonian Magazines

Edward K. Thompson, 89, former editor of Life and founding editor of Smithsonian magazine. Thompson joined Life in 1937 as an associate editor and was editor from 1961 to 1968. During his tenure, the magazine became popular and respected worldwide. Later, Thompson created a magazine for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington and served as its editor and publisher from 1969 to 1981. He detailed his long career in a 1995 memoir, “A Love Affair With Life and Smithsonian.” Born in Minneapolis and educated at the University of North Dakota, Thompson worked for a number of newspapers including the Milwaukee Journal. On Monday in Mount Kisco, N.Y.