Paz Marquez Benitez was born on March 3, 1894 at the town of Lucena, Quezon. She is a short story writer in English and educator. Her short story "Dead Stars" is considered a landmark in the development of Philippine literature in English. She edited the
Woman's Home Journal and the
Philippine Journal of Education. She married Francisco Benitez, noted educator, whom she met while teaching at the U.P.