She was born on 29 November 1899 in Civiasco (Province of Vercelli) in the region of Piedmont to Giovanni Morano and Matilde Bresciani, the eldest of eight children, five daughters and three sons. In October 1926, she married Giovanni Martinuzzi (1901-1978) and in 1937 her only child was born; Unfortunately he died when he was only six months old. The marriage was not happy so in 1938 Morano decided to separate from her husband. On her 115th birthday, Morano was still living alone in her home.