Laura Mae Willey was born in New London, Iowa, on August 6, 1897, to Loren and Lillie G. Leedham Willey. She came to North Dakota with her parents in 1913, when the family bought a farm near Dover. Besides helping on the farm, Mae also helped with the operation of a grocery store at Dover and later at Millers' Spur, east of Bordulac. Mae received her education at a one room rural school and later at Hebron Consolidated school. During the winter Mae helped make cane brooms, which they sold during the summer. After moving to Carrington in 1941, Mae worked in the Gamble store and J.C. Penneys.

She lived with her mother until her mother's death on October 20, 1964. Mae still lives in the family house and maintains the house with many beautiful flowers in a large yard.

Source: A History of Foster County 1983 Page 43B