The author was born E. May Griffiss in 1915 in England. She immigrated to Canada with her widowed mother in 1920. She grew up in southern Ontario with her mother, stepfather, and two half-brothers. Unusual for her time, she not only graduated from high school but also attended both teacher's college and business college. She worked as a teacher and an office worker before marrying J. Ernest Coggins in 1946. They settled in the small town of Waterford, Ontario, and raised three children. Being a homemaker in those days meant that she did laundry with a wringer washing machine and clothesline, baked her own pies and cakes, and sewed clothes and canned food for her family. She also found time to maintain strong relationships with friends, neighbours, and family members. She maintained an extensive correspondence with distant missionaries, friends, and relatives. She was a faithful member of her church, teaching Sunday school for decades and playing a leading role in the mission circles. She was able to continue that work until her sudden death in 2000.