Born in the Netherlands in 1930, Maria's family was witness to the hardships of war, during which they housed and hid Jewish people in order to protect them from danger.
Maria and husband Paul Moens ultimately relocated to Toronto, Ontario, Canada where she continues to reside in the Beaches.
She and Heather Cadsby[4] developed a publishing company in order for women in literature to have an outlet for publications called Wolsak and Wynn.
Together with writer Maria Jacobs, the two poets established Poetry Toronto Magazine in the 1980s, which is no longer in publication.
Wolsak and Wynn was called such, due to the two founders, Cadbsy and Jacobs putting together maiden names from females in their family tree.