Laura Violet Wiese was born on 31 May 1947 in Minneapolis, Minnesota as the fourth child of Paul Joseph Wiese and Charlotte Alvina Stomberg. She had three siblings, namely: Alice Ida, Lester Wayne Sr., and Arlys Ruth. When she was 62, she married William (Bill) Leslie Hamelau on 08 Dec 2009 in Charleston, South Carolina.

 Laura graduated high school on 20 May 1965 in Billings, Missouri. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts on 06 Jun 1970 from University of Missouri Kansas City. She earned a Master of Science at Emporia State University in Emporia Kansas in 1971.