Marianne Thomas, the Chron’s photo editor from 1992 to 2002, died Sept. 21 in Millbrae after repeated battles with cancer. She was 57.

She was one of the paper’s first pure photo editors at a time when news editors were accustomed to picking their own photos to accompany stories, according to the Chron obit.

“She was tough. I can see her with her arms folded listening to a photo discussion. She would always plead our case, the volume of her voice rising as she made a point,” Chron photographer Brant Ward recalled. “She believed in the real storytelling quality of photography and the way it could benefit our readers.”

A memorial service will be held at the Redwood City Eckankar Center, 2009 Broadway, from 1 to 3 p.m. Oct. 4. (Photo credit: Russell Yip)