Mary Flug Handlin, editor for the Center for the Study of the History of Liberty and wife of Oscar Handlin, Pforzheimer University Professor, died of cancer early yesterday in Stillman Infirmary. She was 62 years old.

Over the past twenty years, Handlin co-authored six books on American history with her husband, including "Popular Sources of Political Authority," and most recently, "The Wealth of the American People: A History of American Affluence."

Donald Fleming, Trumbull Professor of American History, yesterday described the Center for the Study of the History of Liberty in America as a publishing group that has put out "about a dozen volumes," both by Fleming and by the Handlins, since 1958.

Fleming said the directorship of the Center "more or less" passed into his hands during Handlin's illness.

Handlin, who received degrees from Brooklyn College and Columbia University, is survived by her husband and three children: Joanna F. Handlin, David P. Handlin and Ruth B. Handlin, a teaching fellow in Harvard's English Department.

The family has planned a private funeral, and will announce a memorial service in the next few days.