Margery Verner Reed

Born in Colorado Springs in 1894, Margery Verner Reed was an American author remembered for lyrical early-20th-century fiction, especially Futurist Stories. Reliable records and library sources identify her as the daughter of Verner Z. Reed and Mary Dean Reed, and note that she lived from 1894 to 1925.

She graduated from the University of Denver in 1919 with a bachelor's degree in English, then joined the university as an assistant professor of English. University of Denver historical materials also say that she later married Paul Mayo, another DU alumnus and English teacher.

Her life was brief: biographical records indicate that she went to Lima, Peru, in 1924 during her husband's diplomatic assignment, became ill, and died in Denver in 1925 at just 30 years old. Even with a small body of work, she remains a memorable voice of her era, and her name lives on at the University of Denver through Margery Reed Hall.