[2] In 1952, following her divorce, she studied for a Bachelor of Arts in English literature[3] and creative writing at Stanford University.

Gantner subsequently was granted permission to build a hut for bushwalkers in his memory.

[8] Two awards have been established and named in her honour, the Neilma Sidney Short Story Prize[9] and the Neilma Sidney Literary Travel Fund, supported by The Myer Foundation.

[12] The couple made their home in San Francisco, where Gantner gave birth to two sons, Vallejo junior in 1942 and Carrillo in 1944.

In July 1949 she was granted a divorce from her husband on the grounds of cruelty and, although given physical custody of her sons, was prevented from bringing them to Australia for their education.