Mary Ann Hulteen was born in Cleveland Ohio on May 23, 1939 to Hubert and Eleanor O’Malley. She lost her father when she was six years old. Her grandmother, Mary Weber, was her greatest example of love and support as she helped raise Mary Ann and her brother, Hubert Francis.

In 1950 Mary Ann, her brother, mother, and grandmother left their beloved family in Cleveland and moved to Miami Florida. It was while living in Miami when she was working as a car hop at a diner that she met a handsome Marine Sergeant from Kansas who was stationed at Opa-Locka Marine Base.