Born Perkasie, Pa., Moved with family to Wildwood, NJ in 1948. Graduated from Wildwood High School, one year at Drexel Institute of Tech., in Phila, PA. Married David W. Smith Jr in 1957. Moved to Corning NY in 1960. Five children born of this marriage between 1960 and 1966. Divorced in 1974. Graduated from Elmira College in 1973 and Masters in 1974. Working in chemical dependency field for 27 years. Director of Chemical Dependency Services of St. Josephs Hospital, Elmira, NY from 1986 to 2004. Came out of retirement in 2008 for temporary full-time work at the local Council on Alcholism. Still working there in 2009 - still temporary. Looking forward to beging back in retirement and making more books!!!