She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Daniel and Mary Jane Rolfs.
She graduated from California State University, Los Angeles in June 1967.
[2] She was the mother of three boys Zachary, Jonathan, Jacob and a daughter Lisa.
[7] On April 23, 2003 she and very sick patients were part of a protest held on the steps of the Santa Cruz County Courthouse to announce the filing of a suit against the federal government on behalf of patients who need medical marijuana.
This was in response to the federal government's raiding a local medical marijuana collective.