She was born in Newtyle, Angus, Scotland. She met her future husband Jock Gray on a blind date in 1922 and married him in 1927. Having arrived in Sydney, they ran a poultry farm. The couple were married for 60 years before Jock died. They had two children, nine grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. Her daughter began taking care of her at their home in Smithfield, New South Wales in 2004. Her secret to longevity was to "eat plenty and don't drink booze or smoke". As of December 2013, she lived in a nursing home.